Category Archives: redistricting

#SCOTUS Will Hear Another Racial Gerrymandering Case

June 6, 2016, 6:39 amredistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

The Supreme Court this morning noted probable jurisdiction in the Bethune-Hill case, raising racial gerrymandering claims in state legislative elections in Va. The SCOTUSBlog page is here. Just a few weeks ago, the Court dismissed on standing grounds a… Continue reading

Federal Court Rejects Partisan Gerrymander Objection to NC Congressional Redistricting Plan

June 3, 2016, 11:58 amredistrictingRick Hasen

A few months ago, a three judge court held that North Carolina’s congressional redistricting included an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. This case is currently on appeal to the Supreme Court. To remedy the violation, the NC legislature came up with a… Continue reading

“Using the Voting Rights Act to Discriminate: Gerrymanders, Two Racial Quotas, Safe Harbors, Shields, and Inoculations to Undermine Multiracial Coalitions and North Carolina’s Use of Racial Black Political Power”

June 1, 2016, 2:55 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Michael Curtis has posted this draft on SSRN (Wake Forest Law Review). Here is the abstract: This Article focuses on new developments in the ongoing saga of North Carolina’s 2011 state legislative and congressional reapportionment and gerrymander. The earlier article… Continue reading

“The Revival of the Three-Fifths Clause in a Rhode Island Prison Gerrymandering Case”

May 24, 2016, 1:33 pmfelon voting, redistrictingRick Hasen

Derek the Muller: A federal district court handed down a memorandum and order for summary judgment in Davidson v. City of Cranston, a case concerning “prison gerrymandering” in Rhode Island. The court concluded that the city improperly drew districts… Continue reading

“Wisconsin’s state legislative districts are a big Republican gerrymander”

May 24, 2016, 9:19 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Following up on this post linking to their SSRN paper, Jon Krasno, Daniel Magleby, Michael D. McDonald, Shawn Donahue and Robin Best have written this piece for the Monkey Cage.

“Can Gerrymanders Be Measured? An Examination of Wisconsin’s State Assembly”

May 23, 2016, 8:29 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Jon Krasno, Daniel Magleby, Michael D. McDonald, Shawn Donahue and Robin Best have posted this draft on SSRN, just as the Wisconsin gerrymandering trial gets underway. Here is the abstract: In July, 2015 a group of Wisconsin Democrats… Continue reading

Va Redistricting Case Roundup

May 23, 2016, 7:46 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

SCOTUSBlog: he Court also ruled today in Wittman v. Personhuballah, finding that the members of Congress who intervened to defend Virginia’s congressional redistricting plan do not have standing to appeal. Coverage comes from Lyle Denniston for this blog,… Continue reading

Breaking: Unanimous Supreme Court Dismisses Va. Racial Gerrymandering Case on Standing Grounds, Making No New Voting Law

May 23, 2016, 7:15 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The Supreme Court has decided Wittman v. Personhuballah, ruling against members of Congress on standing grounds. The lower court found that the congressional plan was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, and the members of Congress challenged this holding. In a… Continue reading

“Republican Voters Challenging Maryland’s Partisan Gerrymander Deserve Their Day in Court”

May 20, 2016, 1:36 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

CLC blog.

“Renewed Republican Redistricting Revenge! Arizona Legislature Using Budgetary Power To Possibly Limit Map Defense”

May 12, 2016, 5:05 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Arizona’s Politics: In the wake of two GOP defeats at the U.S. Supreme Court, Republicans at the Arizona Legislature are using their budgetary powers to sweep $695,000 from the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (“AIRC”). The funds were to be… Continue reading

“Chemerinsky: Should SCOTUS have turned down these election law cases?”

May 5, 2016, 1:49 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Erwin Chemerinsky in the ABA Journal: At the beginning of American history, the Supreme Court was required to hear every case brought to it. Over time, Congress modified these statutes, most recently in 1988, so that today the court has… Continue reading

“Four Ways To Fight For Democracy”

April 25, 2016, 8:44 amcampaign finance, redistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Gerry Hebert and Paul Ryan for Moyers & Co.

“Supreme Court Unanimously Upholds Arizona Redistricting Plan”

April 25, 2016, 7:36 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Lisa Sorenen on Harris case at NCSL blog.

“Insufficient Electoral Reform”

April 24, 2016, 12:22 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Japan Times: The sharp disparity in the weight of votes between populous and less populous electoral districts — in which voters in some constituencies have more power in electing their representatives to the Diet than those in others — is… Continue reading