Category Archives: redistricting

“Flip of Michigan Legislature highlights role of fair maps”

November 22, 2022, 10:45 amredistrictingRick Hasen

AP: Democratic candidates for the Michigan House and Senate won a majority of votes this year, translating into their party winning control of both legislative chambers. That may seem like a natural result, but it hasn’t been in previous… Continue reading

“House Democrats’ path back to the majority could run through the Supreme Court”

November 22, 2022, 6:36 amredistrictingRick Hasen

WaPo: Democrats are suing to overturn congressional maps in six states they weren’t able to undo before the midterm elections: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio and Texas. If courts side with them, Democrats believe it could be the difference between… Continue reading

“Did Republicans Gerrymander Their Way to Victory?”

November 21, 2022, 10:27 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Sam Wang for The Atlantic: Republicans have gained control of the House of Representatives, but their majority will be tiny. Such close division has triggered many what-if discussions. Some have focused on New York, where Democrats performed poorly. The… Continue reading

“Supreme Court dismisses challenge to Texas state legislative maps”

November 21, 2022, 8:29 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

CNN: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a challenge to Texas state legislative maps that critics say intentionally dilute minority voting power and result in an illegal racial gerrymander. At the center of the dispute is Senate District 10, which… Continue reading

“Gerrymandering, hubris and court fights: How redistricting shaped the battle for the House”

November 6, 2022, 9:24 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Politico reports.

“Kentucky Law Journal Symposium Friday: “Drawing the Lines: Redistricting After the 2020 Census”

October 13, 2022, 7:28 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Great lineup! Details. Videos of each session will be posted to the KLJ website by early next week. ’

“How Ron DeSantis Blew Up Black-Held Congressional Districts and May Have Broken Florida Law”

October 11, 2022, 10:20 amredistrictingRick Hasen

ProPublica: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was incensed. Late last year, the state’s Republican legislature had drawn congressional maps that largely kept districts intact, leaving the GOP with only a modest electoral advantage.DeSantis threw out the legislature’s work and redrew… Continue reading

“Why Republicans Could Prevail in the Popular Vote but Lose in the House”

October 11, 2022, 7:19 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Nate Cohn for the NYT: Over the last few decades, we’ve gotten accustomed to the idea that Democrats could easily win the popular vote but struggle to win control of government.This time, there’s a chance of a reversal. After years… Continue reading

Redistricting Discussion at Heart of Leaked Racist Discussion by LA City Council Members; Jessica Levinson on the Legal Implications

October 10, 2022, 5:17 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

From the LA Times bombshell report: Still, much of the conversation focused on the maps that had been proposed by the city’s redistricting commission. Martinez voiced frustration that the panel had proposed removing a number of economic assets from her… Continue reading

Supreme Court declines to hear Pennsylvania Redistricting Case raising ISL theory

October 3, 2022, 11:42 amredistricting, Supreme Court, UncategorizedFranita Tolson

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear Costello v. Carter, which involved a challenge to Pennsylvania’s court approved congressional map. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court adopted the map after a deadlock between the Republican legislature and the Democratic governor. Notably,… Continue reading

“Gerrymandering Isn’t Giving Republicans the Advantage You Might Expect”

September 30, 2022, 4:58 amredistricting2022 Election CycleTabatha Abu El-Haj

Nate Cohn for The Upshot offers an intricate analysis of the 2022 congressional maps in historical perspective. Lots of interesting graphs to get to his basic take: “In reality, Republicans do have a structural edge in the House, but it… Continue reading

Breaking–N.Y. Court Orders New Maps by April 2023

September 29, 2022, 11:31 amredistricting2022 redistrictingTabatha Abu El-Haj

A New York court has ordered New York’s redistricting commission to reconvene and pass new state assembly maps for legislative consideration by April 28, 2023.

Insightful Preview of Upcoming VRA Case

September 26, 2022, 10:48 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActTabatha Abu El-Haj

Linda Greenhouse has written, John Roberts’s Long Game. Is this the End of the Voting Rights Act?–an insightful preview of Merrill v. Milligan, which will be argued on October 4. The lengthy Atlantic article cuts straight to the point:… Continue reading

“Newly gerrymandered districts might hurt Democrats less than you think”

September 22, 2022, 4:54 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Marion Campisi, Tommy Ratliff, Stephanie Somersille and Ellen Veomett for WaPo’s Monkey Cage: This November, members of Congress will be running in new districts based on the 2020 Census data. So how might the new district maps… Continue reading