Court returns redistricting to Legislature

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Federal judges in a case involving Wisconsin's new election maps want attorneys for both sides to make one final request of lawmakers to draw new boundaries.

Lawmakers already said Tuesday they didn't think they could revisit the issue because state law only allows the maps to be drawn once every 10 years, after new U.S. Census numbers come out.

But the judges disagreed Wednesday, saying the law allows the maps to be modified at any point during the first two-year legislative session following the Census release. In this case, that legislative session is still ongoing.

The attorneys have until 2 p.m. Wednesday to report back. If they say lawmakers won't revisit the issue, a trial challenging the validity of the current maps will begin Thursday and likely end late Friday.