Category Archives: redistricting

“Minority Success in Non-Majority Minority Districts: Finding the ‘Sweet Spot'”

September 9, 2019, 7:42 amredistrictingRick Hasen

David Lublin, Lisa Handley, Tom Brunell, and Bernie Grofman have written this article for the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. Here is the abstract: Though African-American and Latino electoral success in state legislative and congressional elections continues to occur… Continue reading

Richard Briffault Talked to The Takeaway About the North Carolina Partisan Gerrymandering Ruling

September 8, 2019, 4:49 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Listen here.

Must Read: Hofeller Files, Leaked to David Daley in New Yorker, Show Use of Race in Gerrymandering and Considering Impact of Voter ID

September 6, 2019, 2:09 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Blockbuster: Hofeller did not follow his own advice. Before his death, in August, 2018, he saved at least seventy thousand files and several years of e-mails. A review of those records and e-mails—which were recently obtained first by The… Continue reading

What’s Going to Happen with a Challenge to North Carolina’s Congressional District Partisan Gerrymander? Two Significant Hurdles to a Lawsuit.

September 5, 2019, 9:34 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Democrats are now pondering a state court challenge to North Carolina’s partisan gerrymandering of the state’s 13 congressional districts, following a state court ruling that the state legislative districts are a partisan gerrymander. The U.S. Supreme Court in the… Continue reading

“The Battle Over the Files of a Gerrymandering Mastermind”

September 5, 2019, 9:15 amredistrictingRick Hasen

NYT: At the heart of a decisive court ruling on Tuesday striking down North Carolina’s state legislative maps was evidence culled from the computer backups of the man who drew them: Thomas B. Hofeller, the Republican strategist and master… Continue reading

“Republicans fear drubbing in next round of redistricting”

September 5, 2019, 7:15 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Politico: Democrats were caught napping in the 2010 election ahead of the last round of redistricting — and it cost them control of Congress for nearly a decade.Now Republicans are warning the same thing could happen to them.Senior Republicans… Continue reading

“North Carolina court steps up to defend democracy”

September 4, 2019, 8:01 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Josh Douglas CNN oped.

North Carolina Republicans Won’t Appeal Gerrymandering Ruling, Promise “Nonpartisan” Map. What’s the End Game?

September 3, 2019, 3:13 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Following up on this post about today’s state court ruling, North Carolina Republicans have thrown in the towel: A looong legal battle over these state legislative districts in North Carolina is over. No more appeals. Democrats and opponents… Continue reading

Breaking: Unanimous State Court in North Carolina Holds State Legislative Districts Are Unconstitutional Partisan Gerrymanders Under State Constitution; What It Means and What Comes Next

September 3, 2019, 1:25 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

You can find the 357-page unanimous ruling at this link. Given the state Supreme Court has a 6-1 Democratic majority (including now Justice Anita Earls), this ruling could well be upheld on appeal. This is a huge development that… Continue reading

“Obama introduces new initiative in fight against gerrymandering”

August 26, 2019, 7:47 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

The Hill: Former President Obama on Monday announced a new initiative in a campaign to combat partisan gerrymandering. “Training is at the heart of organizing. It’s why I’ve always made it a priority – from my 2008 campaign until now,”… Continue reading

“John Roberts said we need to rely on states to solve gerrymandering. That’s not going so well.

August 23, 2019, 7:47 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Josh Douglas WaPo oped: The Supreme Court ruled in June that federal courts are closed to claims of partisan gerrymandering. But never fear, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority: “numerous [states] are restricting partisan considerations… Continue reading