Category Archives: redistricting

“‘This is a war’: Republicans ramp up bid to control election maps for next decade”

June 22, 2020, 10:25 amredistrictingRick Hasen

The Guardian: A little-known Republican group is ramping up millions of dollars in funding from major US corporations such as CitiGroup and Chevron to protect the conservative stronghold on the country.The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) – which held… Continue reading

California: “Legislature asks Supreme Court to delay redistricting”

June 16, 2020, 3:21 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

At the Lectern: In yet another case on the Supreme Court’s pandemic docket, California’s Legislature wants the court to order a four-month delay of the deadline for the state Redistricting Commission to submit Congressional, state legislative, and Board of… Continue reading

Republicans Want Wisconsin Supreme Court (Dominated by Conservatives) Rather than a Federal Court to Draw Redistricting Maps After Census Results are In

June 3, 2020, 12:34 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: The legal fight over the next round of redistricting in Wisconsin kicked off Wednesday, a full year before lawmakers begin drawing election maps.The filing of a request to change state court rules by a former Republican legislative… Continue reading

“Republicans Have a New Plan to Thwart the Will of the People; A Missouri initiative would undo voters’ preference for nonpartisan legislative districts — and perhaps shift representation itself.”

May 21, 2020, 8:52 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

NYT oped by David Daley.

“Repeal Of Clean Missouri Redistricting Plan Will Go To Voters”

May 14, 2020, 8:44 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

St. Louis Public Radio: The way Missouri draws its state House and Senate districts will be up for referendum later this year after the House Wednesday backed a ballot initiative aimed at repealing the so-called Clean Missouri redistricting system.It’s a… Continue reading

Nevada: “Group backing redistricting commission files lawsuit seeking e-signatures, extended deadline”

May 8, 2020, 6:45 amdirect democracy, redistrictingRick Hasen

The Nevada Independent reports.

Social Science Quarterly: Mini-Symposium on Partisan Gerrymandering (with Free Access at the Moment)

May 7, 2020, 8:19 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Wow this looks good: Editorial Keith Gaddie Kirby Goidel Kim Gaddie Pages: 7First Published: 27 January 2020 Full text PDF Request permissions Mini‐symposium on Partisan Gerrymandering Free AccessIntroduction to the Mini Symposium on Partisan Gerrymandering Richard L. Engstrom Pages: 8-9First Published: 27 January… Continue reading

“What’s behind the fight over Wisconsin’s primary? The Supreme Court’s gerrymandering ruling.”

April 22, 2020, 8:45 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Guy Charles and Luis Fuentes-Rohwer in The Monkey Cage: On April 7, thousands of Wisconsin citizens braved a global pandemic to show up at the polls to vote. Some commentators blamed Republicans in the legislature for forcing voters to choose… Continue reading

“Federal Courts Won’t Hear North Carolina Gerrymandering Case”

April 19, 2020, 8:06 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Bloomberg Law: North Carolina legislators can’t remove to federal court a state suit under the state constitution challenging a redistricting plan that they say is gerrymandered in favor of Republicans, the Fourth Circuit said Thursday.

Breaking: 6th Circuit Panel Unanimously Upholds Constitutionality of Michigan Independent Redistricting Commission (Including Interesting Concurring Opinion by Judge Readler Attacking Anderson-Burdick Framework)

April 15, 2020, 11:55 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Not at all surprised by this result (which I’ve long been predicting, all the while puzzling over why Republicans did not raise a different argument against the commission as applied to congressional redistricting). But a fascinating majority opinion by Judge… Continue reading

“Gerrymandered by Definition: The Distortion of ‘Traditional’ Districting Principles and a Proposal for an Empirical Redefinition”

April 1, 2020, 9:02 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Yunsieg Kim and Jowei Chen have posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: What are “traditional” districting criteria? The meaning of that term is critical to curbing abusive districting practices, because states must draw electoral districts according to… Continue reading

Colorado Ends Prison Gerrymandering

March 24, 2020, 8:09 pmfelon voting, redistrictingRick Hasen

The Appeal reports.

“The Supreme Court’s Pro-Partisanship Turn”

March 4, 2020, 8:29 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I have posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, Georgetown Law Journal Online). Here is the abstract: The United States Supreme Court’s conservative majority has taken the Court’s election jurisprudence on a pro-partisanship turn which gives political actors freer range to… Continue reading