The 31st Assembly District is located in southern Wisconsin and includes a chunk of Rock County that cracks Janesville and Beloit as well as about a zigzaggy half of Walworth County.
Ellen Schutt (R-Clinton) has represented the 31st district since January 2023. She defeated her Democratic opponent in this safe GOP district by 18.8 percentage points.
Headline: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/11/2023
Map: Wisconsin State Legislature (boxes added)
Somehow, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Tyler Katzenberger can write an article about legislative district without mentioning 'gerrymandering', 'packing', and 'cracking'.
It's called journalistic malpractice.
The UW Applied Population Lab defines 'cracking' as
drawing districts in such a way as to divide a concentration of specific types of voters across several districts such that they are a minority in each one, with practically no hope of achieving representation in any of the districts. This practice also helps make districts less competitive.
The UW Applied Population Lab defines 'packing' as
the practice of drawing particular districts in such a way as to ensure that another party's candidate wins that seat by a tremendous margin. Although the opposing party is all but guaranteed the seat, packing makes surrounding districts less competitive, and thus tips the balance of power in the legislative body overall toward the ruling party.
Meet the leaders of the packing and cracking brigade!
Bad optics: Wisconsin Senate, Wisconsin Assem/bly
Wouldn't you rather have this diverse group in the majority?
Other posts in the series:
See also: Spotlight on Wisconsin gerrymandering
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