Category Archives: redistricting

“Ungerrymandered: Michigan’s Maps, Independently Drawn, Set Up Fair Fight”

December 30, 2021, 11:33 amcitizen commissions, redistrictingRick Hasen

NYT: One of the country’s most gerrymandered political maps has suddenly been replaced by one of the fairest.A decade after Michigan Republicans gave themselves seemingly impregnable majorities in the state Legislature by drawing districts that heavily favored their party,… Continue reading

“‘They know where Black voters live’: Challengers say ‘race blind’ redistricting maps are anything but”

December 29, 2021, 4:04 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

CNN: In states like Texas and North Carolina, Republican lawmakers in charge of redrawing the political maps for the next decade say that the new plans are “race blind.” Their opponents in court say that the claim is implausible… Continue reading

“Ohio Supreme Court hears arguments on GOP-drawn congressional redistricting map”

December 28, 2021, 1:20 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

The Columbus Dispatch reports.

“News Analysis: California’s political redistricting was all about defining a ‘community’”

December 28, 2021, 1:19 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

John Myers for the LAT. He’s following it up with this Twitter thread.

Can federal courts hear private litigants’ statewide partisan gerrymandering claims arising under the Freedom to Vote Act?

December 28, 2021, 7:33 amredistrictingDerek Muller

In Rucho v. Common Cause (2019), the Supreme Court held, “We conclude that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts.” The Court emphasized that state court or legislative solutions would remain available to reformers.… Continue reading

California Redistricting Commission Posts Final Report, Including Extensive Voting Rights Act Analysis

December 26, 2021, 11:14 amredistrictingRick Hasen

You can find it here.

“Surprisingly, there has been a redistricting turnaround”

December 26, 2021, 11:08 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Paul Waldman WaPo column: In the 2020 elections, Democrats failed to win control of any new state legislatures and saw their margin in the House of Representatives shrink by more than a dozen seats, an outcome that portended bad… Continue reading

“Michigan redistricting commission releases memos, recording from closed-door meeting”

December 21, 2021, 10:12 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Detroit Free Press: Lawyers for Michigan’s redistricting commission used a controversial closed-door meeting to label legal interpretations of federal voting requirements that urge drawing majority-minority districts inaccurate and misleading, calling on the commission not to adjust lines based on … Continue reading

“Latino political power is a big winner in California’s new congressional map”

December 21, 2021, 8:56 amredistrictingRick Hasen

LAT: Latino voters would see a major boost in political clout under new congressional and legislative districts approved unanimously Monday by the independent citizen panel charged with redrawing the state’s political map.Although the panel, created by voter initiative in 2008,… Continue reading

Brennan Center Redistricting Tracker

December 20, 2021, 3:47 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Find it here.

“Wisconsin Supreme Court is wrong to preserve gerrymandered electoral maps”

December 20, 2021, 11:23 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Rob Yablon oped: The Wisconsin Supreme Court has set the stage for another decade of gerrymandered electoral maps. For Wisconsinites across the political spectrum who are fed up with partisan redistricting abuses, the court’s decision is a gut punch —… Continue reading

“Map by Map, G.O.P. Chips Away at Black Democrats’ Power”

December 19, 2021, 9:12 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

NYT: Mr. Reives is one of a growing number of Black elected officials across the country — ranging from members of Congress to county commissioners — who have been drawn out of their districts, placed in newly competitive districts… Continue reading

“Column: Are Californians chumps to play fair on congressional redistricting?”

December 16, 2021, 7:07 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Mark Z. Barabak LAT column.

New Political Maps May Kill Swing Districts, But Swing Districts May Not Save Us

December 13, 2021, 2:33 pmpolitical parties, redistrictingPolitical Accountability, Political ResponsivenessTabatha Abu El-Haj

The Wall Street Journal is not the first to lament that the 2021 redistricting cycle is not likely to produce very many competitive districts. But how much should we care? The call for competitive elections presumes that electoral accountability emerges… Continue reading