Redistricting Litigation

Federal Panel Rejects Two North Carolina Congressional Districts

By EditorFeb 08, 2016

North Carolina - A federal court panel ruled late Friday that two of North Carolina’s 13 congressional districts were racially gerrymandered and must be redrawn within two weeks, sparking uncertainty about whether the March primary elections can proceed as planned. An order from a three-judge panel bars elections in North Carolina’s 1st and 12th congressional districts until new maps are approved. Read More.

Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting Race RulesNorth Carolina

Evenwel May Just Be an Awful Can of Worms

By EditorJan 30, 2016

Victoria Bassetti, writing for Brennan Center in this article titled "Supreme Court Redistricting Case Is New Front in Voting Wars," speaks eloquently about the dangerous thinking behind the Evenwel case now before the U.S. Supreme Court. If the powers that be actually have a choice on what population base to use when redistricting, won't politics come in to play? Read the article here.

Redistricting, Redistricting LitigationEvenwel, one person one vote, Supreme Court

Listen to U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument Audio in Evenwel v. Abbott

By EditorJan 25, 2016

On December 8, 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in Evenwel v. Abbott, on the concept of “one person, one vote” and whether states could consider total population or the number of eligible voters when redrawing legislative districts. Click below to listen.

Redistricting, Redistricting LitigationAbbott, evenel, texas redistricting

U.S. Supreme Court: Shelby County Cannot Recoup Attorney Fees for Winning Landmark Voting Rights Case

By EditorJan 25, 2016

Today the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Shelby County, Alabama. It means that Shelby is stuck with the $2 million bill for winning its landmark case against the Voting Rights Act. It had filed a petition to recover its attorneys fees, which is allowed under the Act but a lower court denied the claim and the Supreme Court agreed. The lower court ruled on the basis that the litigation did not advance the law's anti-discriminatory purpose. Read the NYT article here.

LAW, NEWS, POLICY and PRACTICE, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting Race RulesAlabama, attorney fees, States

Voting Rights Gets A New Scholarly Institution

By EditorNov 17, 2015

Voting Rights litigators, advocates, experts and practitioners have a new resource both online and off with the newly established Voting Rights Institute at Georgetown Law. The institute was formed in partnership with the American Constitution Society and the Campaign Legal Center. Many of the stalwarts working behind the scenes in voting rights litigation came together for what many would say is a much needed destination for voting rights scholarship, a subject often lost in the larger civil rights agenda. (more…)

Redistricting, Redistricting LitigationACS, Campaign Legal Center, Georgetown Law, Gerry Hebert, Voting Rights Institute, washington dc

Supreme Ct Preview: Persily Amicus Brief on the One Person One Vote Requirement

By EditorNov 13, 2015

In this latest Supreme Court case Evenwel v. Abbott, exploring the claim that political redistricting should focus on balancing the number of eligible voters in the population across districts as opposed to total population, several amicus briefs have been submitted by interested parties. None other than Nathaniel Persily; Stanford Law professor and a sought after expert on redistricting has submitted this brief along with several other equally accomplished colleagues in the voting/redistricting field: Bernard Grofman, Stephen Ansolabehere, Charles Stewart III, and Bruce Cain. Oral argument is scheduled for December 8th. (more…)

Casedocs, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigationamicus brief, Ansolabehere, Evenwel, Grofman, lawid, one person one vote, Persily, Supreme Court

Redistricting Population Controversy: Pits Rural Against Urban

By EditorNov 12, 2015

Vice President of litigation at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Nina Perales writes this article in the Washington Post's "In Theory" series urging the Supreme Court to maintain total population as an acceptable standard for drawing political districts. (more…)

Redistricting, Redistricting LitigationEvenwel, one person one vote, Supreme Court

Redistricting Population Controversy: A Demographer’s View

By EditorNov 03, 2015

Demographer and redistricting consultant Peter A. Morrison writes this article in the Washington Post's "In Theory" segment urging the Supreme Court to require political districts be drawn so that "eligible voters" are equally distributed across them as opposed to the general population. (more…)

Redistricting, Redistricting LitigationEvenwel, one person one vote, Supreme Court

One Person?/Voter?/Citizen? One Vote

By EditorOct 06, 2015

Does the constitution guarantee every person the right to an equally weighted vote? or just to eligible voters? or perhaps just citizens? (more…)

Redistricting, Redistricting LitigationEvenwel, lawid, Supreme Court, Texas

Top Redistricting Litigator Talks “Texas” in Latest ELB Podcast

By EditorSep 30, 2015

Electionlawblog's Rick Hasen talks voting rights and redistricting litigation with Nina Perales of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. This podcast series explores the world of election law and its ever evolving policy. (more…)

Redistricting, Redistricting LitigationELB, election law blog, featured, MALDEF, national, perales, podcast, Texas, texas redistricting, U.S.