U.S. Supreme Court Denies Stay Request in Pennsylvania Congressional Map Challenge

U.S. Supreme Court Denies Stay Request in Pennsylvania Congressional Map Challenge

By EditorMar 10, 2022
Pennsylvania's new congressional map was adopted by the State Supreme Court in February -after the governor vetoed the legislature's map - but a new lawsuit is looking to federal courts to allow the state's congressional representatives to be elected at large in the upcoming 2022 election. On March 7, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an emergency stay order request that would have accomplished this quickly. Instead, the matter is before a three-judge court whose decision may be appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. The crux of the challenge is that the State Supreme Court does not have the authority…
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U.S. Supreme Court Denies Request to Block North Carolina Court’s Congressional Map

U.S. Supreme Court Denies Request to Block North Carolina Court’s Congressional Map

By EditorMar 08, 2022
On Monday the U.S. Supreme Court denied an emergency application for a stay of the North Carolina State supreme court's decision to invalidate the congressional map that the legislature enacted in 2021 and the state trial court's decision to block a second map enacted by the legislature on February 17. If the high court had granted an emergency stay, the upcoming 2022 elections would have been conducted under the legislature's Feb. 17 map, while the court considered the case for a decision at some later date. Read the court's order. Map and Court Decision Timeline Feb. 23 2022: A state…
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Idaho Supreme Court Upholds New Congressional Map Against State Law Based Challenge

By EditorFeb 13, 2022
On Friday (Feb. 11) the Idaho Supreme Court rejected the only legal challenge filed against the state's new congressional map. Earlier, in January, the court rejected four challenges to the newly enacted state legislative map. This now clears the way for Idaho's May 17 primary election to proceed as scheduled. Read the unanimous opinion here. Read Media Coverage in the Idaho Capital Sun, and the Idaho Press. View the interactive congressional and state legislative maps here: Congressional / State Legislative Find us on:
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OH Supreme Court Rejects Ohio Commission Maps for a 2nd Time. Describes Their Efforts as “Misguided.”

By EditorFeb 07, 2022
The Ohio Supreme Court on Monday rejected a 2nd revised map of state Senate and House districts drawn by the Ohio Redistricting Commission. The first map was invalidated by the court on Jan 12. The latest maps, adopted by the commission on Jan. 22nd, still violate state constitutional provisions prohibiting maps that favor any one political party according to the court. The commission must adopt a 3rd plan and file it with the court by February 18, 2022. Read the order here. The court interprets the state constitution's proportionality standard to mean that any map should reflect the average voting…
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U.S. Supreme Court Sides with Alabama in Voting Rights Act Case Against its Congressional Map, Issues a Stay Order.

By EditorFeb 07, 2022
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday announced that it will allow Alabama to hold elections under its newly enacted congressional map despite a federal trial court's order to redraw the map to add a second majority Black district. Read the order here. In a 5-4 vote, the court granted Alabama's application for a stay from the trial court's decision invalidating the map under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The 4 Justices in the minority would have allowed the 2022 election to go forward in Alabama with a remedial map as the three-judge trial court had ordered. Justice…
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Redistricting Headlines Feb. 7 2022: Three State Supreme Courts Have Their Say. A Governor’s Veto Puts Map on Shaky Ground.

Redistricting Headlines Feb. 7 2022: Three State Supreme Courts Have Their Say. A Governor’s Veto Puts Map on Shaky Ground.

By EditorFeb 07, 2022
Last week was another busy week in redistricting. Three state supreme courts made rulings on newly adopted maps, one state enacted redistricting maps and another endured a gubernatorial veto. Notable Court Decisions and Filings North Carolina was easily the headliner last week after its State Supreme Court overturned a lower trial court decision upholding new congressional and state legislative maps against racial and partisan gerrymandering challenges. The court is giving the Republican-dominated legislature just 14 days to redraw all three maps (congressional, state Senate and state House). There is no guarantee that the legislature will make this deadline but either…
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Michigan Supreme Court Upholds Maps Against Minority Vote Dilution Challenge

By EditorFeb 05, 2022
On Thursday, Feb. 3, the Michigan State Supreme Court upheld the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission's maps against a minority vote dilution challenge under Section 2 Voting Rights Act (VRA). Read the Court's opinion/order here. According to the opinion, that decision mostly hinged on the plaintiff's failure to show that any of the Gingle's preconditions were met to establish a Sec. 2 violation. In other words, the was no specific evidence offered by the plaintiffs that Black voters would not be able to elect the candidate of their choice. The crux of the plaintiff's argument, the court explained, was that…
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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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