Democrats oppose delay of Wisconsin redistricting case

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrats challenging Republican-drawn political maps in Wisconsin are opposing a request by the GOP-controlled state Assembly to delay a trial scheduled to start in April.

Lawyers representing Democratic voters said in a federal court filing on Monday that Republicans are trying to “run out the clock on the 2011 gerrymander.” They say delaying the trial as requested would make it “nearly impossible” to get a final decision from the U.S. Supreme Court before the 2020 elections.

The Legislature, using 2020 Census results, will draw new maps in 2021.

Assembly Republicans earlier this month asked the court to delay the trial until after the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled in a pair of other gerrymandering cases in North Carolina and Maryland. The outcome in those cases is likely to affect the Wisconsin lawsuit.

Democratic Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul took no position on the GOP delay request.