Category Archives: redistricting

“Mathematical theorem finds gerrymandering in PA congressional district maps”

February 28, 2017, 1:42 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Phys.org: Pennsylvania’s congressional district maps are almost certainly the result of gerrymandering according to an analysis based on a new mathematical theorem on bias in Markov Chains developed by Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh mathematicians. Their findings are… Continue reading

Wisconsin Files #SCOTUS Notice of Appeal in Partisan Gerrymandering Case, Triggering Likely High Court Review Next Term

February 24, 2017, 10:36 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

This is a big deal. (Background on why the Court will likely hear the case on the merits.) Will Justice Kennedy agree to police partisan gerrymandering as his parting gift from SCOTUS?

“From Educational Adequacy to Representational Adequacy: A New Template for Legal Attacks on Partisan Gerrymanders”

February 22, 2017, 3:28 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Chris Elmendorf has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: For decades, legal attacks on partisan gerrymanders have foundered on a manageability dilemma: doctrinal standards the Supreme Court has regarded as judicially discoverable have been rejected as unmanageable,… Continue reading

What Does Judge Gorsuch Think About Partisan Gerrymandering? A Tiny Tea Leaf

February 18, 2017, 4:35 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

For more than the last decade, since the Supreme Court decided Vieth v. Jubelirer, plaintiffs have been angling to get another case raising the question before the Supreme Court. In Vieth, Justice Kennedy sided with the dissenters in holding… Continue reading

At William and Mary Redistricting in 2020 Symposium

February 16, 2017, 7:52 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The next few days should be great at this event. I’ll be presenting Race or Party, Party as Race, or Party All the Time: Three Uneasy Approaches to Conjoined Polarization In Redistricting and Voting Cases.

Gerrymandering and partisan composition of Congress (cont.)

February 14, 2017, 4:18 pmredistrictingJustin Levitt

At Rick (Hasen)’s request, I wanted to add just a bit to Rick (Pildes)’s original post on the new paper by Jowei Chen and David Cottrell, proposing a means to assess the net partisan consequences of congressional redistricting. Given the… Continue reading

“Elbridge Gerry and the Monstrous Gerrymander”

February 11, 2017, 6:26 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

New blog post at the Library of Congress: Gerrymandering is a current political topic today; as always, it is usually initiated by the incumbents to retain or increase their power. When gerrymandering is taught in U.S. history classes, it is… Continue reading

“The Supreme Court will examine partisan gerrymandering in 2017. That could change the voting map.”

February 10, 2017, 7:53 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Bernie Grofman at The Monkey Cage (and to be clear, the Supreme Court has not yet agreed to hear any case raising these issues): If, in 2017, the court does not specify a manageable standard for identifying unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering,… Continue reading

“Legal challenges leave future NC elections in limbo”

February 7, 2017, 2:25 pmredistricting, Supreme Court, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Carolina Public Press reports.

“Race or Party, Party as Race, or Party All the Time: Three Uneasy Approaches to Conjoined Polarization In Redistricting and Voting Cases”

February 7, 2017, 7:30 ampolitical polarization, redistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

I have posted this draft on SSRN, for the forthcoming symposium on Redistricting after 2020 at William and Mary. I think this piece brings together a lot of my thinking (and others’ thinking) on the “race or party” question… Continue reading

“We have a standard for judging partisan gerrymandering. The Supreme Court should use it.”

February 2, 2017, 7:03 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

McGann, Smith, Latner, and Keena for The Monkey Cage: In our book, we show that the partisan symmetry standard can be logically derived from the equal treatment of individual voters, based on recent results in social choice theory. In… Continue reading

Wisconsin Going to Spend Big Bucks for Outside Counsel to Defend at #SCOTUS Against Partisan Gerrymandering Claim

February 1, 2017, 5:22 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Patrick Marley.

“Republican redistricting is taking a beating in the courts, right now”

January 28, 2017, 11:15 amredistrictingRick Hasen

WaPo reports.

Breaking: Three-Judge Court Issues Order on Remedy in WI Partisan Gerrymandering Case, Teeing Up Issue for #SCOTUS Review

January 27, 2017, 9:46 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The three-judge court considering the Wisconsin partisan gerrymandering case, Whitford v. Nichols, has issued this remedial order in the Wisconsin gerrymandering case. It requires the Wisconsin legislature to pass a new plan remedying the partisan gerrymandering found by the court… Continue reading