For decades, extreme gerrymandering suppressed Democratic votes at the state level and gave a near-supermajority in the legislature to the Wisconsin GOP, despite the fact that Wisconsin is a true purple state. Last year, Wisconsin voters elected liberal justice Janet Protasiewicz to the state Supreme Court. Shortly thereafter, the gerrymandered maps were declared unconstitutional by the reconfigured court, and Governor Evers signed in new, fair maps. This year's August primary will mark the first time that the new, fairly drawn maps will be applied. 

Also on the ballot this August are two important constitutional amendments, which taken together, would potentially limit the governor's ability to allocate federal money appropriated to the state, such as in an emergency situation. More shenanigans are coming in November, when we will be asked to vote on another amendment that, if approved, would add language to the state Constitution specifying that only U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or older can vote in federal, state, local, or school elections. 

On June 29, we spoke with Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's Iuscely Flores about the new maps and ballot measures, and what you need to know about these issues before returning your primary ballot, and why you should vote NO. See the recording, below.