Category Archives: redistricting

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Bethune-Hill Racial Gerrymandering Case Again from Virginia, Raises Question About Standing

November 13, 2018, 7:10 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

From today’s order list: APPEAL — JURISDICTION POSTPONED 18-281 VA HOUSE OF DELEGATES, ET AL. V. GOLDEN BETHUNE-HILL, ET AL. Further consideration of the question of jurisdiction is postponed to the hearing of the case on the merits. In… Continue reading

Chuck Lane: “Voters took on gerrymandering. The Supreme Court doesn’t need to.”

November 12, 2018, 7:28 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Charles Lane WaPo column. Even though I’ve been ambivalent about whether courts should intervene to stop gerrymanders on federal constitutional grounds, I find very unpersuasive the argument that a wave election shows that federal intervention is unnecessary.

NYT Editorial Endorses Ranked Choice Voting for Congressional Districts

November 11, 2018, 12:21 pmalternative voting systems, redistrictingRick Hasen

This idea seems to be gaining some traction in a way that it hasn’t before.

“The ‘Blue Wave’ Wasn’t Enough to Overcome Republican Gerrymanders”

November 8, 2018, 8:00 amredistrictingRick Hasen

William Adler and Stuart Thompson NYT oped, with some very informative graphics.

Breaking: Three Judge Federal Court Unanimously Strikes Maryland Congressional District as Partisan Gerrymander

November 7, 2018, 10:56 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The judges considered two First Amendment-based theories: all three joined in one of the theories, and two in the other. This will go on direct appeal to the Supreme Court, in a case with an opinion written by a well… Continue reading

Tuesday’s implications for redistricting

November 7, 2018, 3:23 amredistrictingJustin Levitt

Hi, all. Justin here. On Tuesday, voters in Colorado, Michigan, and maybe Utah (it’s still too close to call) approved ballot initatives changing the process for drawing state legislative and congressional lines, and voters in Missouri approved an initiative changing… Continue reading

Common Cause Files Supreme Court Brief Seeking Affirmance in North Carolina Partisan Gerrymandering Case

November 2, 2018, 3:38 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Read it here.

North Carolina Partisan Gerrymandering Opponents File Supreme Court Motion to Affirm in Rucho Case

November 1, 2018, 7:57 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

You can find the document here. I believe it is almost certain the Court will set the case for argument (and I think chances of an affirmance are low with Justice Kavanaugh now on the Court, but we will… Continue reading

Supreme Court Won’t Take Pa Gerrymandering Case, Arguing State Supreme Court Didn’t Have Power to Draw New Districts

October 29, 2018, 7:24 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

SCOTUS declines this a.m. to hear Pennsylvania Republicans’ appeal of state court ruling ordering new congressional map. https://t.co/6txxfNrGvz #fairmaps 1/ pic.twitter.com/Nd8gOAZKZx — Michael Li 李之樸 (@mcpli) October 29, 2018 I expect this issue to be back before the Supreme Court… Continue reading

“If I Win My District, I’ll Get Rid of It”

October 25, 2018, 1:29 pmredistricting, UncategorizedRichard Pildes

I’m often asked why it makes any difference whether election districts keep towns and counties together, or are reasonably compact. This amusing op-ed, from the Democratic candidate running for a New York Assembly district that contains pieces of seven… Continue reading

Michigan: “Conservative group spending $1.2M to defeat Proposal 2 redistricting commission”

October 23, 2018, 4:14 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Detroit News: A conservative group with ties to the powerful DeVos family of West Michigan is pumping at least $1.2 million into an effort to fight a ballot measure for an independent redistricting commission. The spending by the Michigan Freedom… Continue reading

“The Next Threat to Redistricting Reform”

October 22, 2018, 7:29 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I have written this piece for the Harvard Law Review Blog. It begins: These are perilous times even for those who think that federal courts have no business messing with how state legislatures draw lines for legislative and congressional districts… Continue reading

Upcoming So Cal Connected Episode on KCET Will Focus on Southern California Gerrymandering

October 19, 2018, 6:17 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Looking forward to watching this Release: “SOCAL CONNECTED, KCET’s Emmy® and Peabody® award-winning news documentary series for Southern Californians will premiere a new episode titled “Divide and Conquer” on Tues., Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. PT on KCET in Southern… Continue reading