On Thursday, Jan 27 the Idaho Supreme Court upheld the state legislative district map against four challenges. In a unanimous opinion, the court backed the Idaho Reapportionment Commission’s decision to split a total of 8 counties in drawing district lines, as well as how the commission dealt with various tribal communities. Read the decision.
From the Opinion
In regards to equal protection: “petitioners failed to meet their burden of showing that the Commission unreasonably determined that eight county splits were necessary to afford Idaho’s citizens equal protection of the law. Therefore, they have failed to demonstrate that the Plan violates either the state or federal constitutions.”
In regards to whether the map violates Idaho Code section 72-1506(2): “because the map does not adequately preserve the Shoshone-Bannock and Coeur d’Alene tribes as communities of interest, Though plaintiffs contend “[i]t is self-evident that the Tribes’ interests in unity and maintaining their voting power should receive the same respect, if not more, than Idaho’s counties or cities do during the redistricting process,” that is not how the law is written. We are unable to raise community interests, such as the Tribes’, above the counties’ interests, which are protected to a greater degree by the Idaho Constitution.”
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