Category Archives: redistricting

“Alabama legislature adopts new congressional map that could defy court order”

July 21, 2023, 5:11 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActDan Tokaji

WaPo: The Republican-led legislature in Alabama approved a new congressional map on Friday that increases the percentage of Black voters in two of the state’s congressional districts. But a legal challenge to the map is already in the works,… Continue reading

How to slay two electoral dragons

July 21, 2023, 3:41 amelectoral college, redistrictingDan Tokaji

Danielle Allen in WaPo, on gerrymandering and the electoral college: “I’ve been going on for many moons about the need to grow the House of Representatives. But there are still two major arguments left for why this is… Continue reading

“Alabama legislature passes redistricting maps that Democrats say defy court order”

July 20, 2023, 5:26 amredistrictingDan Tokaji

WaPo: “The Republican-led House and Senate in Alabama approved dueling congressional maps Wednesday that would increase the percentage of Black voters in the state’s 2nd District — but not by enough, Democrats argued, to comply with a federal court… Continue reading

“Illegal voting maps were used in some states in 2022. This legal idea allowed them”

July 19, 2023, 5:02 amelection administration, redistricting, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

Hansi Lo Wang has this extended NPR piece on the still-growing impact of Purcell v. Gonzalez (audio to be added late tomorrow afternoon). It includes an interview with Helen Purcell, who was Maricopa County’s top election official when the Supreme… Continue reading

League of Women Voters/Common Cause Report on California Citizens Redistricting Commission

July 18, 2023, 2:37 pmredistrictingDan Tokaji

The report, authored by Christian Grose, is available here. From the press release: “The CRC process, by design, is massively more participatory, inclusive, and transparent than redistricting conducted by state legislatures. The result is a process that empowers… Continue reading

“Did a New York Court Just Hand Democrats Control of Congress in 2024?”

July 18, 2023, 12:59 pmredistrictingDan Tokaji

Slate on last week’s decision from an intermediate state appellate court: “If Thursday’s ruling is upheld by the state’s highest court, both parties believe that Democrats could conceivably hammer out new district lines that conform to the state’s legal standards… Continue reading

“Galveston County’s redistricting plans go to trial next month, in a major test of the Voting Rights Act”

July 18, 2023, 12:44 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActDan Tokaji

From Houston Public Media: “Next month, a federal trial will take place in Galveston that will mark the first serious test of the Voting Rights Act since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a key portion of the law in … Continue reading

“Alabama Republicans reject call for 2nd majority Black district, despite Supreme Court ruling”

July 17, 2023, 3:51 pmredistrictingDan Tokaji

AP: “Republicans, who have been resistant to creating a certain Democratic district, proposed a map that would increase the percentage of Black voters in the 2nd congressional district from about 30% to nearly 42.5%, wagering that will satisfy the… Continue reading

“2024 House majority runs through the courts”

July 17, 2023, 4:16 amredistrictingDan Tokaji

Axios: “The outcome of unusual off-cycle redistricting efforts in at least five states — Alabama, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina and Ohio — will play an outsized role in determining which party holds the House majority next year.”

“Alabama rushes to adopt new congressional map amid disagreement on what district should look like”

July 16, 2023, 10:51 amredistricting, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

AP: “The group of voters who sued the state and won before the Supreme Court have proposed the creation of a second district where Black residents are 50.5% of the population. But Alabama Republicans, who hold a lopsided majority… Continue reading

“Alabama Scrambles to Redraw Its Voting Map After a Supreme Court Surprise”

July 16, 2023, 4:15 amredistricting, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

NYT: Under orders from the Supreme Court to produce a voting map that no longer illegally dilutes the power of Black voters in Alabama, the state’s lawmakers are now facing a high-stakes scramble to come up with an acceptable… Continue reading

“Alabama Democrats express frustration over redistricting; GOP proposal to get vote Monday”

July 14, 2023, 12:52 pmredistrictingDan Tokaji

AP: “Majority Republican lawmakers have not released their ideas for redrawing Alabama’s congressional districts to comply with a Supreme Court ruling, leading Democrats on Thursday to accuse GOP lawmakers of shutting them, and the public, out of the… Continue reading

Breaking: New York: Divided Intermediate Appellate Court Orders New Congressional Redistricting by Independent Commission as Democrats Requested; Further Appeal Expected

July 13, 2023, 8:03 amredistrictingRick Hasen

You can read the opinion here. Jeff Wice: Breaking News- NY Appellate Court holds for Dems & orders @NYS_IRC to redraw congressional map. Now on to Court of Appeals! @npfandos @Danjanison @RitaCiolli @poozer87 @sarbetter @TimBalk @YanceyRoy @therealjsolo @KaitlynnLisa @NickReisman… Continue reading

“Did Utah’s congressional map go too far? Utah Supreme Court hears the case.”

July 12, 2023, 4:44 amredistrictingDan Tokaji

The Salt Lake Tribune reports on yesterday’s oral argument in League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature, concerning whether excessive partisan gerrymandering violates the state constitution.