VA State Supreme Court Blocks Executive Order Restoring Voting Rights to Felons

By EditorJul 25, 2016

Virginia - On Friday, Virginia's state supreme court blocked governor Terry McAuliffe’s move to restore voting rights to felons that have completed their sentence in a scathing 4-3 opinion that chided the state's top executive for the “unprecedented scope, magnitude, and categorical nature” of the executive order. Read more in the Wall Street Journal. The court emphasized that the governor's clemency powers were meant to be affected on a case-by-case basis. 11,600 former felons are already registered to vote under the now defunct order. Those registrations will now be cancelled per the court's order. Dissenting judges contended that the…

RedistrictingFelon Voting, Virginia

Texas Appeals Court Rejects Voter ID Law. Sort of

By EditorJul 25, 2016

Texas - This Wednesday the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals dealt a major blow to the 2011 Texas Voter ID law which has been in effect now since 2013. The main legal challenge against this law, which specifies 7 types of photo identification that must be used to register and vote - has been that it violates the Voting Right Act both because it was passed by the legislature with an intent to discriminate against poor and minority voters and because in practice, it has a discriminatory effect on those groups. With respect to the discriminatory effect claim, the…

Casedocs, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting Race RulesTexas, voter ID

NPR Speaks with the Author of Rat-F@#*ed:Detailing the Republican Party’s Gerrymandering Strategy

By EditorJul 20, 2016

NPR's Fresh Air interviews Salon's editor-in-chief David Daley, author of the recent book detailing the Republican strategy to "gerrymander" it's way into political dominance; Rat-F*****: The True Story Behind The Secret Plan To Steal America's Democracy." Listen below. http://www.npr.org/player/embed/482150951/482182856

Redistricting

Navajo Lawsuit Against Off-Reservation Polling Places Survives Motion to Dismiss

By EditorJul 19, 2016

Utah - Residents of a Navajo reservation have filed suit against San Juan county election officials after polling places were closed in and around the reservation. While county voters may mail-in their ballots, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that there is no "in-person" voting available on the reservation, and this interferes with the reservation inhabitant's voting rights. This week a judge denied the election officials' motion to dismiss. Read more in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Local Redistricting, Redistricting Race Ruleselection administration, Indian reservation, polling places, San Juan County, Utah

Delaware Passes Law Restoring Voting Rights to Felons With Outstanding Court Debts

By EditorJul 18, 2016

Delaware - Gov. Jack Markell on Wednesday signed a bill that allows felons to vote before they have paid all fines, fees and restitution. Previously, all fines, charges, fees associated with a conviction had to be satisfied before restoration of voting rights. The Delaware legislature recently removed a 5 year waiting period requirement for felons that served their sentences. According to the Washington Post, Delaware had been one of only 3 states requiring financial restitution as a condition of voting privilege restoration.

Redistricting, Redistricting Race RulesDelaware, felons, rights, voting

Group Sues Over Louisiana Ex-Felon Voting Law

By EditorJul 13, 2016

Baton Rouge, LA - Ex-felon voting rights will depend on a turn of phrase as a voting rights group sues to have the state's law barring ex-felons from overturned. The plaintiffs in the case contend that Louisiana's state constitution only always denial of the franchise for those who are imprisoned, on probation or on parole, they seek to overturn a 1976 law that bans ex-felons of any status from voting. Read more here.

Uncategorizedex-felon, louisiana

Judicial Watch to Defend Voters Challenging Constitutionality of Maryland’s Congressional Redistricting Maps

By EditorJul 12, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC--( July 08, 2016) - A special, three-judge panel will consider a constitutional challenge to Maryland's gerrymandered congressional district map on Tuesday, July 12. Judicial Watch Attorney Robert Popper will appear before the panel on behalf of voters from each of Maryland's eight congressional districts. The plaintiffs challenging Maryland's congressional district plan include Maryland Delegates Neil C. Parrott and Matt Morgan, and former Maryland legislator and gubernatorial candidate Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey. Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit on June 24, 2015, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland against Maryland's state administrator of elections and the…

Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanderscongressional, Maryland, redistricting

(Video) Court to Decide Illinois Redistricting Reform Fate Soon

By EditorJul 07, 2016

Illinois - Redistricting reform in Illinois will soon get a decision from a court on whether a proposed 11 member redistricting commission can be submitted to voters as a ballot initiative for an up or down vote. Listen to this local ABC news station interview a representative from the reform group behind the ballot measure on its prospects. http://abc7chicago.com/video/embed/?pid=1411236

Redistricting, Redistricting Commissions, REFORMballot initiative, Illinois, reform

Colorado Redistricting Reform Fails

By EditorJul 06, 2016

Colorado - The State's Supreme Court has thrown out two constitutional ballot measures that would have changed how Colorado draws its congressional and state legislative maps. A 4-3 decision ruled that the measures were in violation of the state constitution's "single-subject" rule. The measures would have established a 12- member nonpartisan commission to redraw congressional and state legislative districts. Read more here.

Redistricting, Redistricting Commissions, REFORMballot initiative, colorado, reform

Book Review: Daley’s “Rat**cked” Tackles Redistricting Through the Decades

By EditorJun 27, 2016

New York - Pulitzer prize-winning writer Elizabeth Kolbert and staff writer for the New Yorker, reviews this book: "Ratf**ked," detailing the Republican party's Redistricting Majority Project or "REDMAP." This was a strategic effort beginning decades ago to realign the electoral map in favor the party. Written by David Daley, editor of Salon.com - the book describes its provocative title as an actual term of art, associated with dirty tricks for partisan advantage; gerrymandering was one of them. Spoiler alert: the Voting Rights Act helped their efforts, especially in the 1990's. Interestingly, Kolbert's article identifies Virginian Patrick Henry as the first person…

Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, REFORMBook Review, David Daley, national, New Yorker, Redistricting Majority Project, REDMAP