About the Fair Maps Coalition
Mission Statement of the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition:
The mission of the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition is to ensure representative government for all, by advocating for and enacting (in law and practice) an independent and nonpartisan redistricting process, building a truly fair and accountable judiciary, and securing the rights of the populace to fair and equal access to voting, by educating and engaging the people of Wisconsin.
Shared Values of the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition
Racial equity
Fairness
Independence
Democracy
Equal Representation
Equal Voice
Transparency
Respect for Communities of Interest
Inclusivity
Public participation
Nonpartisanship
How it all started…
In 2013 in the quaint George Watts Tea Room in Milwaukee, a group of lawyers and activists strategized about how to counteract the 2011 gerrymandered maps. After a three-judge federal court ruled Wisconsin’s maps were unconstitutional in the Gill v Whitford case, work began to form an organized and permanent fair maps advocacy group.
In 2017, the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition formed to push for nonpartisan redistricting legislation. Today, the WI FMC has dozens of partners and thousands of volunteers across Wisconsin who are working tirelessly to reform the redistricting process and bring true democracy to our state.
(Some) Accomplishments of the Fair Maps Coalition
Education & Advocacy: Fair Maps Teams, partner organizations and interested groups have hosted forums, panels, and town hall meetings to educate voters about the issues impacted by gerrymandered maps that affect their everyday lives.
Letters to the Editor: Activists and volunteers have sent 100s of letters to the editors of their local newspapers to educate voters about the impacts of gerrymandered maps on the legislative process and encouraging civic participation.
Exit Surveys: Prior to the COVID epidemic, fair maps activists spoke with February 2020 primary voters as they exited the polls and asked for their opinions about who should create voting district maps.
Postcards to voters: Volunteers sent handwritten messages to 15,000 Wisconsin voters ahead of the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election encouraging participation.
Brochures distributed: Activists distributed 22,000 brochures statewide ahead of the 2022 November election encouraging voting and explaining the impacts of gerrymandered maps on the legislative process.
#MadAboutMaps: A video project where volunteers from across the state told us why they’re angry about gerrymandering.
Fair Courts rallies: More than 1,000 people rallies in 17 cities around Wisconsin to demand a fair courts process for redistricting.
Legislative hearing on SB 621: Despite last-minute scheduling, hundreds of fair maps advocates showed up to testify against the rigged maps. Only Speaker Vos and Leader LeMahieu.
Lobby Day: Over two hundred Wisconsin residents met virtually with their legislators to lobby on behalf of fair redistricting.
Referendums passed: Referendums have passed in 32 counties by large majorities across Wisconsin, representing Republicans, Democrats, and Independents who demand fair maps.
Trained Mapmakers: FMC volunteers and staff conducted numerous trainings via Zoom, Facebook, at events and ‘Mappy Hours’ to empower Wisconsinites to submit community of interest maps to the PMC map portal.
Created Redistricting Loteria: This game is a twist on the 500-year-old game, similar to bingo played in households across Latin America. The classic lotería was remastered to engage Wisconsin’s BIPOC communities in particular, since they are the population most negatively affected by unfair voting maps and consistently shut out of the redistricting process.
Community of interest maps submitted: Thousands of Wisconsinites submitted written and drawn testimony about how their neighborhoods should be represented by the new maps.
Movie Screenings: The WI Fair Maps Coalition hosted an exclusive screening of Slay the Dragon, in collaboration with the Impact Project; Fair Maps teams hosted screenings of Can You Hear Us Now?; All screenings were followed by panel discussions the producers and participants featured in the films.
Fair Maps Rally: Wisconsin residents from across the state gathered in Madison to publicly rally for fair maps.
Petition Signatures: Thousands of Wisconsinites have signed online and paper petitions calling on legislators to create a nonpartisan redistricting process.
Panel discussions & testimony training to support PMC: Prior to each People’s Maps Commission (PMC) hearing, Fair Maps Coalition hosted a panel discussion with knowledgeable people from the focus Congressional District to share the impacts of gerrymandering on the region. FMC also offered testimony trainings to help people prepare their remarks for testifying before the PMC
Testimony at People’s Maps Commission hearings: Passionate residents testified about fair redistricting to the PMC.
Yard signs & Bumper stickers: Traditional yard signs and bumper stickers can be seen throughout the state, reminding voters and their representatives that until this problem is solved many of the most important issues facing our state will not be addressed.
Billboards: Fair Maps Teams purchased billboards in support of advisory referendums on nonpartisan redistricting and to call attention to Wisconsin’s gerrymandered maps.
Fair maps trainings: Organizers with the FMC have trained activists on a multitude of organizing tactics to build infrastructure and strengthen the movement.
Public Telling: Following the surprise introduction and passage — with NO public hearing — of SB415 (flawed redistricting bill) by Speaker Vos in September 2023, the Fair Maps Coalition convened a Public Telling in the Wisconsin State Capitol on Monday, October 9th to hear the concerns of Wisconsin residents. On that Friday, the State Senate scheduled a public hearing on the Senate version (SB488) for Thursday, October 19th in the Capitol. Voters from across the state turned out to share testimony against its passage.
Fair Maps Teams: Volunteer-led teams across the state have organized their own events and projects because achieving fair maps is fundamental to equitable representation in our state legislature!
