Schaber seeks constitutional amendment for nonpartisan redistricting

Penny Bernard Schaber, the Appleton woman who has played such a central role in bringing fair maps to Wisconsin,  is a lesson in optimism and persistence.  

The Illinois native grew up in a large family, graduated from Southern Illinois University, and then joined the Peace Corp.  After returning, she attended Northwestern University in Chicago and earned a degree in physical therapy.  Her career as a physical therapist began at a clinic in Chicago where Penny has memories of riding her bike all around the Chicago Loop.  

“As a physical therapist, I know how to make you hurt and I’ll do it with a smile,” she says, grinning.

After moving to Appleton in 1984, she found her elected representative unresponsive to her questions and the form letters she received frustrating. As a physical therapist, it was her job to be a problem solver. To evaluate problems, do the research, and find solutions.  Her medical training and her mom’s voice whispering in her ear, “If you complain, you better do something about it” spurred her to run for office in 2005.

Schaber lost her first election for the Wisconsin Assembly.  She ran again and won,  representing Assembly District 57 for three terms from 2009 through 2014. The Democrats held the Governorship and a majority in the assembly and senate for two years while Schaber was in office but could not agree on a nonpartisan redistricting plan. In 2010, the Republicans won the governorship, assembly and senate.  They didn’t hesitate to pass the most gerrymandered district maps in the nation. 

Those new maps made sure Democratic voters were concentrated into her district so the surrounding Assembly Districts would maintain a strong Republican edge. In fact, Speaker Robin Voss put his arm around Penny and told her she was going to love the maps they’d drawn for her.

 “Oh, Robin,” she shot back. “I didn’t need you to help me win the first time and I don’t need it now. I think we should have competitive districts.” 

And, that was the beginning of her fight for fair maps. Wisconsin’s gerrymandered maps were in place from 2011 to 2024, a real setback for a state that had always been known for its good governance.

Instead of running for her safe assembly district in 2014, Schaber stepped forward to run for the state Senate.  She lost that race in part due to the extreme gerrymandering.

Since then Schaber has been a “professional volunteer”. She has been involved with Habitat for Humanity, Common Cause-Wisconsin, various environmental groups, candidate recruitment, church projects, and volunteer work as a physical therapist.  All in addition to her work on Fair Maps.  Public service continues to be her passion.

“The goal is not to build the majority of either party but to create a balance in the legislature,” she says.

Thanks in part to Schaber's work and a return to fairer maps, the Democrats picked up four seats in the state senate and 10 in the Assembly in the November elections. 

Schaber says her work is not done. The next step is to pass a law to ensure a nonpartisan redistricting process following the 2030 census.  Ultimately, the Wisconsin Constitution should be amended to guarantee fair maps in the future. After this, Penny plans to tackle Campaign Finance Reform in Wisconsin.

Schaber continues to live in Appleton with her husband Dale.  They enjoy traveling, hiking, gardening, and spending time with family.  But there’s always plenty of time for her volunteer work, especially her advocacy for a permanent solution to gerrymandering in Wisconsin.