In One-Two Punch, Ohio Supreme Court Invalidates New Congressional Map Just 2 Days After Striking House and Senate Districts

By EditorJan 15, 2022
On Friday, the Ohio State Supreme Court announced its decision to invalidate the Republican-drawn 2021 congressional map, explaining that it "stacks the deck" against the opposite party. Voters in 2018 amended the state's constitution to prohibit excessive partisan map-drawing and the court concluded that the new map was a product of just that. Read the opinion and excerpts below. The now invalidated map had failed to pass the legislature by a supermajority vote and thus under the constitution, it would have only been in effect for 4 years. With the court's ruling on Friday, the legislature will have 30 days…
Case Updates, Casedocs, LATEST, NEWS, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, , ,
Read More

Ohio Supreme Court Invalidates 2021 Senate and House Maps. Gives Commission 10 Days to Draw New Maps

By EditorJan 12, 2022
On Wednesday, Jan. 12th, The Ohio Supreme Court invalidated Republican-drawn state House and Senate district maps as partisan gerrymandering under the Ohio Constitution. The justices struck down the maps in a 4-3 decision, sending the maps back to the Commission with just a 10-day window to redraw the maps. Read the opinion below. "We hold that the plan is invalid because the commission did not attempt to draw a plan that meets the proportionality standard in Article XI, Section 6(B). We also conclude that the commission did not attempt to draw a plan that meets the standard in Section 6(A)—that…
Case Updates, Casedocs, LATEST, LAW, NEWS, Partisan Gerrymandering, Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Litigation, State Laws, , , ,
Read More

North Carolina’s Redistricting Maps Upheld by State Trial Court

By EditorJan 12, 2022
On Wednesday, Jan. 11th a North Carolina state trial court upheld the congressional and state legislative maps drawn by the Republican-dominated legislature in Nov of 2021. Read the opinion and excerpts below. Here is a breakdown of the court's conclusions of law regarding each allegation: Partisan Gerrymandering in Violation of the NC Constitution's Free Elections Clause: "The Free Elections Clause does not operate as a restraint on the General Assembly’s ability to redistrict for partisan advantage." Equal Protection Clause of the NC Constitution: "The Court finds that the plans are amply supported by arational basis and thus do not violate…
Case Updates, Casedocs, LATEST, LAW, NEWS, Partisan Gerrymandering, Racial Gerrymandering, Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Litigation, State Laws, , , ,
Read More
A Flurry of Redistricting Activity Happened Over the Holidays. Here is a Recap

A Flurry of Redistricting Activity Happened Over the Holidays. Here is a Recap

By EditorJan 03, 2022
An incredible amount of redistricting activity occurred over the holidays in over 10 states. It's safe to say you missed most of it. Here is your post-holiday update. Map Adoptions 5 states adopted/enacted redistricting maps just before or after the Christmas holiday. This includes 3 independent citizens commissions, 1 state supreme court, and 1 enactment via a governor's signature. Arizona The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission adopted final congressional and state legislative maps on Dec. 22. The 5 member body voted unanimously for the congressional district map and approved the state legislative map on a 3-2 vote.  Click here for interactive maps and media coverage,…
Enacting a Redistricting Map, HOME, LATEST, NEWS, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, , , ,
Read More

Illinois Federal Court Rejects Voting Rights Act and Racial Gerrymandering Challenges to Legislature’s State Senate and House Maps

By EditorDec 31, 2021
On Thursday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a per curiam opinion rejecting the claims of three groups of plaintiffs in the consolidated cases (McConchie, Contreras, and East St. Louis NAACP) against the state legislative district maps, which the legislature approved in September. The claims included allegations of racial gerrymandering and minority vote dilution in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. In regards to the votings rights claims, the court characterized the plaintiff's view of the maps as a failure to "maximize" minority electoral success, and warned that the Supreme Court has…
Case Updates, Casedocs, LATEST, LAW, Racial Gerrymandering, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, Voting Rights Act, , , , , ,
Read More

Arkansas State House Map Gets Voting Rights Act Challenge in Federal Court

By EditorDec 31, 2021
On Wednesday, the Arkansas State Conference NAACP and the Arkansas Public Policy Panel filed a lawsuit against the newly enacted Arkansas State House district map. The suit alleges minority vote dilution in violation of the Voting Rights Act. The case is Arkansas State Conf. NAACP v. Arkansas Bd. of Apportionment. Read the Complaint. PRESS RELEASE DECEMBER 29, 2021 LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Arkansas, Law Office of Bryan L. Sells LLC, and Dechert LLP filed a federal lawsuit today challenging a new redistricting plan for the Arkansas State House of Representatives that would undermine the voting strength of…
Case Updates, Casedocs, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting Race Rules, Voting Rights Act, , , , ,
Read More

New South Carolina House Districts Challenged in U.S. District Court

By EditorDec 26, 2021
The ACLU of South Carolina issued this press release (below) on Dec. 24, after filing an amended complaint with the U.S. District Court in Columbia, S.C. the day before. The case is NAACP v. McMaster. The original complaint asked the court to take jurisdiction over redistricting maps in SC in anticipation that the legislature would not complete maps in time for upcoming elections. However, the legislature passed, and the governor enacted a new state legislative district map on Dec 10. The amended complaint addresses the house district map specifically and reserves the right to challenge the senate map in the…
Case Updates, Casedocs, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, ,
Read More

GROUPS LAUNCH LEGAL CHALLENGES OVER ALABAMA RACIAL GERRYMANDERING

By EditorNov 16, 2021
A group of voters backed by several civil rights organizations have filed a pair of lawsuits against Alabama's congressional and state legislative districts enacted just 12 days ago. The first lawsuit alleges the congressional map violates section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The second suit claims both the congressional and statehouse maps are racial gerrymanders. Read the complaints here: Milligan v. Merrill (congressional) and Thomas v. Merrill (congressional and state legislative). PRESS RELEASE (Nov. 15, 2021): BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Individual voters joined with civil rights and faith groups today to file a pair of lawsuits in federal court challenging…
Casedocs, HOME, LATEST, LAW, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigation, , ,
Read More

Ohio Redistricting Maps Attract 3 Partisan Gerrymandering Lawsuits in 4 Days. Read Them Here.

By EditorSep 29, 2021
The recently passed Ohio State redistricting maps have so far drawn three lawsuits; each of them claiming the map is a brazen partisan gerrymander. Here is a look at all three complaints. The first lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Ohio and the Ohio chapter of the African American trade union group the A. Philip Randolph Institute, as well as a group of individual Ohio voters. Read the complaint here. The second lawsuit filed is backed by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's National Redistricting Action Fund, the 501(c)4 of the…
Case Updates, Casedocs, LATEST, LAW, NEWS, Redistricting Litigation, State Laws, , ,
Read More

Ohio Redistricting Commission Maps Challenged in State Supreme Court as “Brazen” Partisan Gerrymander

By EditorSep 24, 2021
On Thursday, a lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Ohio and the Ohio chapter of the African American trade union group the A. Philip Randolph Institute, as well as a group of individual Ohio voters, challenging the state house and senate maps adopted by the Ohio Redistricting Commission last week. The commission adopted the maps on a 5-2 party-line vote with Republican members voting in favor of the map. The lawsuit alleges the map is a clear partisan gerrymander that violates provisions of the state constitution requiring that districts not be…
Case Updates, Casedocs, LATEST, NEWS, Partisan Gerrymandering, Redistricting, Redistricting Commissions, Redistricting Functions, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Litigation, State Laws, , , , ,
Read More