Redistricting Headlines Jan 31 2022: 3 States Finalize Maps and Big Litigation News in 2 States.

Redistricting Headlines Jan 31 2022: 3 States Finalize Maps and Big Litigation News in 2 States.

By EditorJan 31, 2022
Last week in redistricting three states adopted maps, one state court made a decision about maps, and another court case may be heading to the nation's highest court. Map Enactments Three states enacted maps last week. On Wednesday, Jan. 26, the South Carolina legislature adopted and Gov. Henry McMaster signed a new congressional map into law. The state's legislative district map was enacted in December of last year. Maryland finalized its state legislative map on Thursday Jan. 27. The map was enacted as a joint resolution and does not require the governor's signature. Maryland's new congressional districts were adopted in a…
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Watch: Connecticut Supreme Court Oral Argument in Congressional Map Case

Watch: Connecticut Supreme Court Oral Argument in Congressional Map Case

By EditorJan 30, 2022
On Thursday, Jan. 27 the Connecticut state Supreme Court heard arguments from lawyers for both Democrats and Republicans on the Reapportionment Commission about whether the special master's congressional map should be approved by the court. Watch the oral argument below. The Reapportionment commission missed two deadlines (one statutory deadline and an extended deadline by the court) to agree on a map. A special master was appointed on Dec 28 of last year; Nathaniel Persily (Stanford Law). Read the Special Master's report. Find us on:
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New Mexico Republicans Challenge New Congressional Map in State Court as a Partisan Gerrymander

By EditorJan 29, 2022
On Jan 21, New Mexico Republicans filed a partisan gerrymandering challenge in the 5th Judicial District Court. In contrast, the chair of the state Democratic Party released a statement applauding the congressional map stating "these maps create fair districts that bridge the urban-rural divide, include strong Hispanic and Native voices, and better represent communities throughout New Mexico." Read the lawsuit here. In October 2021, the New Mexico Citizens Redistricting Committee released several congressional maps for the legislature's consideration. The Committee is an independent, statutory, non-partisan body tasked to develop and propose district maps for New Mexico’s Congressional delegation, the state…
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Idaho Supreme Court Upholds Reapportionment Commission’s State Legislative District Map

By EditorJan 28, 2022
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…
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Alabama Appeals Congressional Map Decision to U.S. Supreme Court

By EditorJan 28, 2022
On Friday, Jan 28, the state of Alabama filed a motion for an administrative stay to the U.S. Supreme Court as well as a request for an appeal directly to the court from Monday's ruling of a three-judge federal district court. The panel of judges had enjoined the use of the newly drawn Alabama congressional district map on its finding that the map likely violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The federal district court panel concluded last week that the congressional map should have 2 majority-Black districts (or districts in which Black voters would be able to choose…
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Alabama Federal Court Blocks Congressional Map on Voting Rights Act Grounds. Gives Legislature 2 Week Deadline

By EditorJan 25, 2022
On Monday an Alabama Federal District Court blocked the new congressional map enacted in November of last year. The order gives the legislature 14 days to enact a new map that the court advises should include " either an additional majority-Black congressional district, or an additional district in which Black voters otherwise have an opportunityto elect a representative of their choice." Read the opinion here. Alabama's congressional map has had one majority-Black district since 1992 (District 7), and the map adopted in 2021 retained that district. Plaintiffs had argued that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act applies in this…
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Redistricting Headlines Jan 24, 2022: Ohio Commission Adopts New Maps Under Court Ordered Wire. 3 New Lawsuits Filed in 3 States.

Redistricting Headlines Jan 24, 2022: Ohio Commission Adopts New Maps Under Court Ordered Wire. 3 New Lawsuits Filed in 3 States.

By EditorJan 24, 2022
Last week was a busy one in the states for redistricting. It brought two new sets of maps and three lawsuits. The Ohio Redistricting Commission adopted a 2nd set of Senate and House maps by a 5-2 vote on Jan 22. The maps will be effective only for a 4-yr period (as opposed to the usual 10) because the map did not pass with the requisite bipartisan support required under state law. On Jan 14th the state Supreme Court invalidated Ohio's 2021 congressional map, giving the commission just 10 days to adopt another. The Connecticut Reapportionment failed to meet its deadline to…
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Michigan Commission’s Congressional Map gets a New Challenge in Federal Court

By EditorJan 24, 2022
A federal lawsuit challenging the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission's newly adopted congressional map was filed last week. In what could be a test of how federal courts view the relatively strict population equality standard of the U.S. Constitution, the lawsuit is alleging that the individual congressional district populations are not sufficiently equal. Read the complaint. The congressional map is also being challenged in state court, see Detroit Caucus v. Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. The federal lawsuit also alleged several other failings of the commission's map including failure to follow the required state legal criteria regarding honoring communities of interest,…
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Kentucky Lawsuit Challenges New Congressional and State House Districts

By EditorJan 24, 2022
Redistricting in Kentucky came to a head last week after the Governor vetoed congressional and State House district maps passed by the Republican legislature (the senate map was not vetoed or signed by the governor and were enacted automatically). The next day, the legislature overrode the vetoes and Democrats promptly sued. Read the case here. Read the lawsuit here. News Coverage Lawsuit calls new Kentucky redistricting maps a 'geographical absurdity' (wdrb.com) See you in court: the legal battle over drawing lines this week on Capitol Chat (wuky.org) Are Kentucky's redistricting maps gerrymandered? UK election law expert weighs in. (lex18.com) Find…
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Listen: Wisconsin State Supreme Court Oral Argument in Redistricting Challenge

Listen: Wisconsin State Supreme Court Oral Argument in Redistricting Challenge

By EditorJan 24, 2022
On Nov 18, 2021, Dem. Governor Tony Evers vetoed the congressional and state Senate and House maps passed by the Wisconsin legislature a week earlier. The State Supreme Court took jurisdiction and heard oral arguments on Jan 19, 2022. Listen to the argument below. Learn more about the case in the case library. The court decided in November to take the approach of redrawing the maps as minimally as possible to comply with state and federal law as opposed to drawing districts from scratch. According to the Wisconsin Examiner, the justices "focused their questions on how to balance competing interests…
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