New Maps Change Southwest Wisconsin Voting Districts

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Monday signed into law new state legislative maps that he proposed and that the Republican-led Legislature passed. Democrats call the maps fairer than the current ones. The new maps replace those passed by Republicans in 2011 and then in 2021 that favored a Republican majority and were criticized widely as being among the nation’s most gerrymandered. Under the new maps, Democrats are expected to be more competitive in many districts. In southwest Wisconsin, Senate District 17 — currently represented by Wisconsin Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green — and Assembly District 51 — represented by Wisconsin Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville — both will favor Democrats with Madison suburbs included in the districts, according to state data. Assembly District 49 — represented by Wisconsin Rep. Travis Tranel, R-Cuba City — will remain a Republican territory. The new maps also leave Marklein out of the district representing Grant and Lafayette counties, placing him in the same district as another incumbent Republican.