Friday, February 24, 2012
1:10 PM
Defense expert says Republicans met standards with maps
Ronald Gaddie, a professor of political science at Tulane University who has worked on redistricting plans, said the maps Republicans drew meet the required constitutional standards.
Gaddie testified that he was hired by Michael Best & Friedrich, a law firm that has represented the state GOP, to assist in the redistricting plan that was created by Wisconsin GOP legislators.
"The population deviations are very small," Gaddie said of the districts created by the redistricting. "That's the first principle."
The deviation was smaller than those in the 2002 plan, larger than in 1992 plan. Equalizing the population in the districts was key importance, he said.
The plan does not cause an unusual amount of delayed voting, he said. It also fared well compared to both other states and past Wisconsin redistricting efforts.
He said he looked at creating a Senate district that would have ensured that the Latino community would be able to elect the candidate of the community's choice but found that none could be guaranteed.
-- By Marie Rohde
Labels: Redistricting trial
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