Category Archives: redistricting

“How The Supreme Court Could Turbocharge Gerrymandering — Just In Time for 2024”

July 8, 2022, 9:18 amelection subversion risk, redistricting, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

538 on Moore v. Harper: The independent state legislature theory is fewer than 25 years old, and for most of its life, it’s been relegated to the fringes of academia. But it was widely promoted by former President Donald … Continue reading

“Next Time Trump Tries to Steal an Election, He Won’t Need a Mob”

July 8, 2022, 8:16 amelection subversion risk, redistricting, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

Jamelle Bouie’s NYT column: Last week, the Supreme Court announced it would hear arguments in Moore v. Harper, a challenge to North Carolina’s new congressional map.The long and short of the case is that North Carolina Republicans proposed a… Continue reading

“‘One Person, One Vote’ Review: Gerrymander to Win the Game”

June 24, 2022, 2:50 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

WSJ review of Nick Seabrook’s new book, One Person, One Vote: A Surprising History of Gerrymandering in America.

Opposition to Louisiana’s Request for a Supreme Court Stay in Redistricting Case Now Posted

June 23, 2022, 4:13 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

You can find them here and here.

“What We Lose When We Lose Competitive Congressional Districts”

June 23, 2022, 6:59 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Lee Drutman for 538: Competitive congressional districts have been steadily disappearing for decades. In the current redistricting cycle, six highly competitive districts in the House of Representatives were drawn out of existence. The Cook Political Report estimates that … Continue reading

“Pennsylvania’s congressional map returns to the court”

June 20, 2022, 7:28 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

SCOTUSBlog: Much attention has been devoted recently to the increased calls for emergency relief from the Supreme Court in fast-paced ligation on the shadow docket. When the justices deny an emergency application, however, that is not necessarily the end… Continue reading

With Florida’s Maps in Place, 2022 Redistricting Cycle Basically Done

June 3, 2022, 5:00 amredistricting2022 Redistricting cycleTabatha Abu El-Haj

N.Y. Times offers this summary of the 2022 redistricting cycle. Key points: Litigation over congressional maps continues, but it is unlikely to change the maps before November.This redistricting cycle “has created a much less competitive House map than before.”The Democrats… Continue reading

Breaking–Florida Supreme Court won’t block DeSantis redistricting map

June 2, 2022, 9:45 amredistricting2022 Redistricting cycle, Florida, state courtsTabatha Abu El-Haj

The Florida Supreme Court has declined to block the state’s new congressional map on the ground that it lacks jurisdiction. The congressional map that will go into effect is the one backed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and previously struck… Continue reading

“Supreme Court Spurns Texas GOP Lawmakers on Voting-Map Testimony”

May 31, 2022, 8:02 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActTabatha Abu El-Haj

Bloomberg Law–The U.S. Supreme Court has rebuffed a request to protect “three Republican lawmakers from being questioned under oath in lawsuits by the Biden administration and civil rights groups that claim new voting maps in Texas are racially discriminatory.”… Continue reading

NY Times Profiles Jonathan Cervas, the Special Master Who Drew New York’s Congressional Districts

May 28, 2022, 1:03 pmelection law biz, redistrictingRick Hasen

Great profile of Jonathan, who was an excellent student of mine at UCI in my election law course.

“Florida redistricting lawsuit: Appeals court rejects court-ordered maps”

May 27, 2022, 10:51 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Andrew Pantazi: A Florida appeals court ruled against an attempt to use new court-ordered congressional maps in the state’s 2022 elections.The 1st District Court of Appeal found that a lower court’s injunction was “unlawful on its face” because it… Continue reading

Special Master Persily’s Proposed NH Congressional Redistricting Plan Posted

May 27, 2022, 8:42 amredistrictingRick Hasen

You can find it here.

Ohio Supreme Court Rejects Legislative Maps Again; Chief Justice O’Connor, a Retiring Republican, Calls Out Redistricting Commission Members and Republican Judges on 6th Circuit Panel

May 25, 2022, 2:41 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Extraordinary: The commission’s refusal—on four occasions—to abide by this court’s rulings has created a crisis that it has the ability to resolve. Yet, despite the federal court majority’s feigned interest in “buy[ing] Ohio more time to both make… Continue reading

Supreme Court Poised to Decide within Weeks Whether to Take Up Case Raising “Independent State Legislature” Theory–with Potential Big Implications for 2024 Elections

May 22, 2022, 2:22 pmlegislation and legislatures, redistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The Supreme Court is poised to decide before it breaks for the summer whether to hear Moore v. Harper, a case raising the question whether the North Carolina Supreme Court had the power to rein in the North Carolina… Continue reading