New Voting Districts

I received a call from Jim Sensenbrenner's office today regarding the subject of my previous blog post. Not that Sensenbrenner reads my blog or anything. In fact, I'd be shocked if he bothers to read any opposing viewpoints. But a staff member of his wanted to clarify why the district maps on his website, and on every other congressperson's websites, have not yet been updated.

Basically, the poor flunkie I was taking to did a poor job of explaining things. It sounded as though he were saying that Paul Ryan was stil my congressman, but Jim Sensenbrenner was simply helping myself to my vote. At one point, I was convinced that it had to be a crank call! How this clod ever got to work for a congressman, I'll never know. But when he finally managed to clear things up, the explanation came out like this (only this time, I'll get it right):

The redistricting actually takes place in January of 2013. What merely happened as of January 1st 2012 is that the official balloting changed.

Let me use my own situation to clarify. Living in Greenfield, WI, my congressman is, right now, still Paul Ryan, and will remain so until January. After that, he'll not be my congressman, no matter what. Even if he wins reelection, Jim Sensenbrenner becomes my congressman because Greenfield goes from district #1 to district #5 in January of 2013. So my vote on November 6th will be to determine the winner for district #5 rather than district #1.

Makes sense, right? Clear as mud?

Of course, this clarifies the map situation.  The districts don't actually change until next year. But is there adequate explanation of this situation on each candidate's web site? Hell, no. Am I still pissed off? Hell yes!

So should you be.

Eric

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