Submitted to OnFocus – MADISON —The People’s Maps Commission will hold a virtual public hearing at 5:30p.m. on Thurs., Jan. 28, 2021, to seek public input on the upcoming redistricting of legislative maps from constituents of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District. Although the Jan. 28 hearing will focus on the 7th Congressional District, all Wisconsin residents are encouraged to watch and participate. Anyone wishing to testify at the hearing must register in advance by visiting the People’s Maps Commission website HERE.
The hearing is the Commission’s fifth in a series of at least eight meetings, one for each one of Wisconsin’s eight congressional districts. The virtual public hearing will include testimony from subject matter experts and also provide Wisconsinites the opportunity to express how they have been affected by legislative redistricting and share their ideas for how Wisconsin can work together to achieve fair maps.
The deadline for registering to comment during this hearing is 5:00 p.m. Tues., Jan. 26, 2021. Each speaker will have three minutes to speak. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, with priority to residents of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District.
For anyone unable to join the virtual hearing, written comments are strongly encouraged. Written comments can be submitted at any time using the feedback form available on the People’s Maps Commission website HERE. Written comments will be reviewed by the commissioners and are public record.
Selected by a three judge panel, the Commission is a nine-member nonpartisan redistricting commission charged with drawing fair, impartial maps for the state of Wisconsin. More information about the Commission, its members and its activities is available HERE.
Every 10 years, each state redraws their legislative and congressional districts using data from the decennial census. In addition to the data from the 2020 U.S. Census, the Commission will use information gathered during the public hearing process to prepare new maps. It will then be up to the Legislature to take up and approve the maps created by the Commission.
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the People’s Maps Commission will host virtual public hearings for each of Wisconsin’s eight congressional districts. Agendas and additional details will be announced in advance of future meeting dates. The hearing dates are as follows:
The hearing dates are as follows:
- Thursday, January 28 – 7th Congressional District
- Thursday, February 11 – 1st Congressional District
- Thursday, February 25 – 6th Congressional District
- Thursday, March 11 – 2nd Congressional District
Individuals interested in watching previous hearings can find the recordings HERE.
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