Supreme Court Rules on Texas Redistricting

By EditorJul 09, 2018

Texas - Abbott v. Perez This is the most protracted post-census 2010 litigation to date. The original case challenged the Texas legislatures’ 2011 redistricting maps, but the litigation now centers around a new set of congressional and state legislative maps that Texas adopted in 2013. These “new” maps are actually closely based on the maps that the federal district court overseeing the litigation drew as interim maps under the Supreme Court’s guidance after it determined the initial interim maps went beyond the limited purpose of correcting legal deficiencies in the 2011 maps. . The issue before the Supreme Court this…

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Supreme Court Keeps Partisan Gerrymandering Challenge Alive in Wisconsin

By EditorJul 09, 2018

Wisconsin - Whitford v. Gill This case had been the one to watch because it offered the court an opportunity to expound on when partisan gerrymandering becomes egregious enough to violate the 14th amendment. In this case for the first time in history, a federal district court invalidated a statewide map as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. However, last week the Supreme Court, unceremoniously punted the case back by remanding it for the plaintiffs to properly show they have standing. The only thing the court did confirm in Whitford was that it would not consider 14th amendment based partisan gerrymandering challenges to…

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Supreme Court Decides Procedural Issue in Maryland Partisan Gerrymandering Case

By EditorJul 09, 2018

Maryland (Benisek v. Lamone): This case was a procedural matter brought before the Supreme Court on the question of whether a federal district court should have denied a preliminary injunction against Maryland’s 2011 congressional map. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s decision denying the plaintiff’s request to enjoin the use of the map for the upcoming 2018 midterm elections, noting that ruling was not an abuse of discretion. . This ruling returns the challenge back to the district court to proceed with a trial on the merits of this 1st amendment based challenge to Maryland’s sixth congressional district, a…

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Supreme Court Mostly Befuddled in Oral Argument Over Maryland Partisan Gerrymandering Case

By EditorMar 29, 2018

Washington D.C. - This Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in one of the three partisan gerrymandering cases before the court this term (Benesik v. Lamone). The transcript is available here. In this novel first amendment challenge to Maryland's sixth congressional district, the court appears to remain befuddled at how to apply neutral standards when measuring just how much political gerrymandering is too much, although almost all of the justices seem to agree that Maryland's sixth district is "too much." (more…)

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Redistricting Weekly Update : Atlases and Mathematicians in the Fray

By EditorJan 29, 2018

The FiveThirtyEight Blog Releases the Atlas of Redistricting, The Maps are Impressive but Unusable FiveThirtyEight takes a comprehensive look at the mapping possibilities for every congressional district in the nation. None of the maps would pass legal muster though. At best, the Atlas of Redistricting is a rough thought experiment that can give us a good idea of what different redistricting priorities produce on a map - - just in very very broad brushstrokes. read more. Pennsylvania Republicans appeal congressional map partisan gerrymander decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a long-shot bid, Republicans appeal the state supreme court's decision…

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A Quick History of North Carolina Redistricting Litigation Post 2010

By EditorJan 22, 2018

North Carolina - The redistricting process in North Carolina has the makings of a classic thriller. There are twists, turns, politics, intrigue, and edge of your seat courtroom drama. Not to mention the crazy quilt of maps. Here is an overview of what has happened so far in this state’s district drawing saga. (more…)

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U.S. Supreme Court Stays Lower Court Order to Redraw North Carolina Congressional Map

By EditorJan 19, 2018

North Carolina - This just in. The U.S. Supreme Court has stayed a lower court order to redraw North Carolina's congressional districts. That court recently found the North Carolina map to be an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander and ordered that the map be redrawn in time for the 2018 elections. Does this mean the court will likely overturn this case in the end? (more…)

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An Update on the Partisan Gerrymander Case Everyone is Talking About

By EditorJan 16, 2018

Wisconsin - It's the case that all the legal and social science geeks have been eyeing for months now. It offers maybe the best chance for the Supreme Court to finally find a partisan gerrymander that goes too far, something it has considered over the years, but has never done. This would be a first. (more…)

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Watch: UW Professor Reviews Wisconsin Partisan Gerrymandering Case in Detail

By EditorJan 14, 2018

This challenge to Wisconsin's state legislative district map alleges the Wisconsin state assembly drew politically gerrymandered districts to entrench Republican power in 2011. Plaintiffs claim the gerrymander was so egregious, it violated the first and 14th amendments. A federal district court panel invalidated the map on those grounds in 2016. Video: UW Professor David Canon gives a detailed overview (40mins) of the case last Fall just before the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyLQBn-C8MM

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Listen: Supreme Court Oral Argument in Wisconsin Partisan Gerrymandering Case Whitford v. Gill

By EditorJan 14, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLu61vk-kns&t=102s The case is a challenge to Wisconsin's state legislative district map. It alleges the Wisconsin state assembly drew politically gerrymandered districts to entrench Republican power in 2011. Plaintiffs claim the gerrymander was so egregious, it violated the first and 14th amendments. A federal district court panel invalidated the map on those grounds in 2016.

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