The state Supreme Court approved election maps Thursday that were drawn by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers but will give Republicans the upper hand in races for the Legislature.
Thursday’s ruling builds off of a 4-3 ruling in November that said the justices would make as few changes as possible to the maps that have been in place since 2011. The existing maps are heavily Republican, so the November ruling ensured whatever maps the justices approved also tilted that way.
Evers, Republican lawmakers and others submitted various proposals to the justices — all of them with a Republican lean because of the court’s earlier decision.
The maps are to be used for the next decade, starting with the Aug. 9 primaries.
The legal fight may not be over. Democrats and nonpartisan groups could try to revive a lawsuit in federal court to modify the maps approved by the state Supreme Court.
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