MILWAUKEE (AP) - A trial to determine whether the state's new election maps are constitutional has been delayed by a number of issues, including an assertion by lawmakers that the state Constitution prevents them from making changes to the maps approved last year.
A panel of three federal judges asked both sides Tuesday to spend the day determining whether lawmakers would consider drawing new maps to address concerns of Democrats and an immigrant-rights group.
Attorney Daniel Kelly said the state Constitution only allows lawmakers to draw new voter lines once every 10 years, and the issue can't be revisited until the next U.S. Census numbers are out.
An attorney for the plaintiffs disagreed, saying state law only requires that new voter maps be completed in the first legislative session. He says this first legislative session hasn't ended.
That matter is only a secondary issue for now. The judges will decide Wednesday whether Jim Troupis, an attorney for lawmakers, can be deposed. Troupis' name surfaced in emails linked to the voter-map issue, but he has said his communications are protected by attorney-client privilege.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Federal judges in Milwaukee have postponed for at least one day a trial that would evaluate whether the latest voting-district maps are constitutional.
Democrats and an immigrant-rights group have sued the state Government Accountability Board to prevent the board from conducting elections based on the new maps.
The judges on Tuesday asked lawyers for both sides to spend the day coordinating with key lawmakers over the maps. The judges say redistricting is the responsibility of a state Legislature and should be handled by lawmakers as much as possible, not by judges.
Both sides have to report back to the court by Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. If they say lawmakers have agreed to revisit the issue, the trial will be postponed until next month. If lawmakers disagree, the trial resumes Wednesday morning.
-----------------------------------------------
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Opening arguments are set to begin in Milwaukee in a federal case that could affect potential recall elections in Wisconsin.
The case involves redistricting, where lawmakers draw new maps for voting districts every 10 years to account for population changes.
The latest Wisconsin maps were drawn and approved last year by Republicans who control the Legislature.
But several Democrats and an immigrant-rights group have sued over the GOP-friendly maps. They say they're unconstitutional because they break up minority blocs, and also shift an unnecessarily large number of people from one district to another.
The plaintiffs are asking a three-judge panel to invalidate the maps. They want any potential recall elections held this year to be conducted based on the 2002 districts.
Opening arguments are set to begin Tuesday morning.
