Federal Court: North Carolina Congressional Districts Illegal Partisan Gerrymander

By EditorJan 14, 2018

North Carolina - On January 9th, a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina ruled that the state's 2016 Plan violates the Equal Protection Clause, the First Amendment, and Article I of the Constitution. Survey the news coverage. (more…)

Redistrictingcongressional, featured, lpequalpro, North Carolina, northcarolina, partisan gerrymandering

Watch: A Short History of Congressional Redistricting in North Carolina

By EditorMar 20, 2017

North Carolina - From the Charlotte Observer Politics & Government section: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article134756399.html/video-embed

Redistricting Gerrymanders, REFORMcongressional, featured, gerrymandering, North Carolina, northcarolina, redistricting

What’s Next in Texas Redistricting

By EditorMar 17, 2017

On March 10th a federal district court panel in San Antonio Texas ruled that the State legislature’s 2011 congressional redistricting map was drawn in manner that violated the U.S. constitution. The court found several districts in the map were the product of intentional racial discrimination and minority vote dilution. While the ruling was a surprise, considering the case had been drawn out for nearly six years, it was also slightly anti-climactic since the ruling referred to a map that Texas no longer uses as its congressional districts. The court had drawn an interim map in 2012 after finding that some…

Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Race RulesBrennan Center, congressional, Latino, racial gerrymandering, state legislature, States, Texas, texas redistricting

Texas Congressional Districts Invalidated by Federal Court: News Coverage

By EditorMar 16, 2017

Texas - Six years in the making, the federal district court panel released its opinion late last week in the long arduous litigation we call Texas Redistricting. This 2-1 decision is only the beginning since it is in regard to the state legislature's 2011 map, which has since been replaced. The court has yet to consider the 2013 map, which is in place currently, and the state legislative map for the lower house. What is the importance of this decision on a now defunct map? The court could require Texas to return to the preclearance regime, which was overturned in…

Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Litigationcongressional, redistricting, Texas, texas redistricting, Voting Rights Act

Maryland Judge Orders Legislative Leaders to Testify in Partisan Gerrymandering Case

By EditorFeb 02, 2017

Maryland - Nearly four years after Bethesda, Md. resident Stephen M. Shapiro and other Maryland voters filed a partisan gerrymandering lawsuit against Maryland's congressional district map, a judge has ordered the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates and the President of the Maryland Senate to testify in the case and turn over documents, rejecting claims of legislative privilege. Shapiro's case has wound its way through the courts from its initial filing in 2013, you can read the original complaint here. A district court judge dismissed the case but Shapiro won his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled…

NEWS, POLICY and PRACTICE, Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting Litigationcongressional, lpother, lpstatelaw, Maryland, partisan gerrymandering, redistricting, Shapiro, States, Supreme Court

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 Gerrymanderscongressional, Maryland, redistricting

Bernard Grofman Selected by Virginia Court to Redraw Congressional Map

By EditorSep 28, 2015

Richmond, VA: Dr. Bernard Grofman, an economics and political science professor at the University of California, Irvine has been selected by a federal district court panel in Virginia as the expert line drawer for the states' embattled congressional map. (more…)

Redistrictingcongressional, Virginia