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

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 Gerrymanders, ,
Read More
(Video) Court to Decide Illinois Redistricting Reform Fate Soon

(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, REFORM, ,
Read More
Colorado Redistricting Reform Fails

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

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, REFORM, , , , ,
Read More

Virginia Mistakenly Restored Voting Rights to “Worst Sexual Predators”

By EditorJun 23, 2016
Virginia - Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe’s April restoration of voting rights to felons that have completed their full sentence, hit a snafu last week when it was discovered that a small group of "ineligible" people had been inadvertently put on the list of eligible voters; Sex offenders who have been civilly committed to a treatment facility. Read more at triblive.
Redistricting,
Read More
North Carolina Voter ID Law On Appeal

North Carolina Voter ID Law On Appeal

By EditorJun 21, 2016
North Carolina - The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled oral argument this week on the challenge to the state's Voter Identification requirement for registering to vote.  The 2013 changes in the law include: a photo identification requirement a reduced early voting period elimination of same-day registration during the early voting period; and disqualification of ballots cast in the wrong voting precinct. A preliminary injunction is temporarily allowing out-of-precinct voting and same-day registration pending a court decision. Read more at WRAL.com.
Redistricting,
Read More
Prison Gerrymandering Decision Halted in Rhode Island

Prison Gerrymandering Decision Halted in Rhode Island

By EditorJun 19, 2016
Cranston, Rhode Island – A federal appeals court has temporarily halted a lower court decision and order to redraw the city’s legislative boundaries pending an appellate hearing. A U.S. District Court had found that the Cranston city ward map violated the equal population mandate required under the U.S. Constitution by including the local (nonvoting) prison population in one of the wards. Thus, an initial “win” for prison gerrymandering advocates has been put on hold. A state chapter of the ACLU initiated the original lawsuit on behalf of 4 Cranston residents. The lower court judge had ordered the City redraw its…
Redistricting, REFORM, , , , ,
Read More
ACLU Warns of Voter Intimidation in Northern California County

ACLU Warns of Voter Intimidation in Northern California County

By EditorJun 17, 2016
California - The ACLU of California issued this press release (below) last week regarding the possible voter intimidation of Hmong (voters whose ethnic origins are from the mountainous regions of China and Vietnam) living in the northern regions of the state. Media Contact: (415) 621-2493 (press@aclunc.org) Since last Friday, the ACLU of California’s Voting Rights Project has been working on a grave situation in California’s northern most county – Siskiyou County – home to a large community of Hmong Americans, hundreds of whom are newly registered voters. We have reason to believe that since last Wednesday, the sheriff and other county officials have been engaged in a targeted voter intimidation campaign against…
Uncategorized, , , ,
Read More
City in Orange County California Skips Court and Abolishes At-Large Voting

City in Orange County California Skips Court and Abolishes At-Large Voting

By EditorJun 16, 2016
San Juan Capistrano, CA - This town of around 35,000 in Orange County, California boasts a burgeoning Latino population of nearly 40%. City council members have been historically elected at-large by city voters, but a recent lawsuit field by a Latino voting rights group sparked debate and in the end, city officials agreed to elect council members by district; five districts to be exact.       The elections for the districts are staggered; two seats will be up this year. The remaining in 2018. Once all of the districts are in place, Latinos will comprise a substantial portion of two districts,…
Local Redistricting, Redistricting, , , ,
Read More