Maps, polling places, process and just about everything you probably want to know . . .
NOTICE FROM SATYA RHODES-CONWAY
On Tuesday, July 19th, we will be having a public hearing at the Council meeting on the new ward plan and list of polling places. The meeting starts at 6:30 pm. We will not vote on it that night, but are looking to hear from the public what you think of the proposed new wards, districts and polling places. You can find a map that shows the proposed new wards and polling places at http://www.cityofmadison.com/cityHall/redistricting/documents/20110705WardPlan14bArrows.pdf. Arrows indicate which ward votes at which polling place. Much more information about the redistricting process can be found here: http://www.cityofmadison.com/cityhall/redistricting/. You can also contact:
Brian Grady, Planner
City of Madison Planning Division
(608) 261-9980
bgrady@cityofmadison.comPlease take a moment to look at where your neighborhood would vote under this proposal. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let me know. If you can’t make the meeting, you can share your thoughts with me, or email the entire council at allalders@cityofmadison.com.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT LAUREN CNARE EXPLAINS COUNCIL PROCESS FOR REDISTRICTING
First: Another important and complex issue is coming before us and the public at our next Council meeting: Redistricting!
While many of you have been engaged in the process through either committee work, the public meetings or engaging with residents and the Planning Division staff, it’s time to get fully involved starting next Tuesday with the public hearing, any amendments and then final approval of the map that will change all of our lives for the next 10 years. Learn more at: http://www.cityofmadison.com/cityHall/redistricting/
We have increasingly used the “group amendment” process with complex issues, and this is another time that it might be beneficial to follow this process:
Tuesday, July 19: Resolution adopting the map is on the agenda for a public hearing. Be sure to alert your constituents if they have comments or suggestions or objections to the draft plans. In addition to borders, residents may be impacted by a change in polling place, so take a look at the recommended places and see if they make sense to you and constituents.
Tuesday, July 22: Between the homework we’ve done, the public testimony, and our own discussion, it’s time to submit amendments to Brian Grady in the Planning Division. Amendments may require both words and map snippets since we are dealing principally with boundaries on a map. Please submit yours by 5 pm to bgrady@cityofmadison.com. These will be combined with the amendments recommended by the Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee.
Tuesday, July 26: Amendments published to alders and the public, including entered in Legistar and on the Redistricting Web site.
August 2: Amendments considered and final approval of new aldermanic districts, wards and polling places by Council.
Let us know if you have any comments on following this process.
MORE ON WISCONSIN REDISTRICTING
I don’t usually post direct appeals for money from groups, but this has a ton of info in it and again, another GREAT organization. and GREAT work being done.
In a democracy voters are supposed to choose their representatives, not the other way around.
In recent weeks we have emailed you about the GOP’s secret redistricting scheme and WDC’s Alternative Redistricting Plan. Yesterday, Democracy Campaign director Mike McCabe testified at the Joint Public Hearing on Redistricting and put forward citizen-designed maps of new state assembly and senate districts in response to a gerrymandered legislative redistricting plan.
Mike’s remarks included this: ” The redistricting plan you are considering ignores longstanding practice and changes the law to accommodate early state redistricting. There is only one conceivable reason for doing so, and that is to complete legislative redistricting before recall elections in the coming weeks that could shift control of the senate to the Democrats. This politically inspired maneuver is unprecedented in our state’s history.”
The Democracy Campaign is standing up for Wisconsin voters. It takes time and costs money to develop our own redistricting plan and get the word out about what’s getting cooked up at the Capitol and how redistricting could be done in a better way. We need you to support us so we can continue to spread our important message to use citizen designed maps and not gerrymandered maps. Donate $25 today to support our important work.
- Listen to Mike McCabe’s excellent testimony on the state redistrcting bill. His comments start at the 4 hour and 59 minute mark.
- Learn more about how the redistricting plans are an affront to the bedrock principles of democracy and violates state law.
- Learn more about how the GOP creates new senate districts just in time for the Senate recall elections.
