Category Archives: redistricting

“Wisconsin’s redistricting case draws new judge on panel as Barbara Crabb withdraws”

August 3, 2018, 8:38 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Wisconsin’s redistricting case is headed back to a three-judge panel — but it will consist of a slightly different set of judges. Barbara Crabb, a U.S. district judge for Wisconsin’s western district, on Thursday withdrew from the case… Continue reading

“Abbott v. Perez, Race, and the Immodesty of the Roberts Court”

August 2, 2018, 12:06 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Guy Charles and Luis Fuentes-Rohwer for the HLR Blog.

Breaking: Michigan Supreme Court, on 4-3 Vote, Allows on Ballot Voter Initiative to Take Redistricting Away from Michigan Legislature

July 31, 2018, 7:45 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

You can find the 121 pages of opinions, which did not split simply by party lines, at this link. (Michael Li: Opinion is by Justice Vivano who is a Republican appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder. Justice Clement, another… Continue reading

Arkansas: “Attorney general approves form of proposal to change legislative redistricting”

July 31, 2018, 6:49 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

See here.

“US Supreme Court weighs in: We’ve all been pronouncing ‘gerrymander’ wrong”

July 27, 2018, 1:01 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

This is fun. https://twitter.com/steveannear/status/1022894895814590467

Quote of the Day: Extreme Gerrymandering Edition

July 26, 2018, 8:52 amredistrictingRick Hasen

“Perfect. It’s giving the finger to Sandy Levin….I love it.” —One of the Republican line drawers in Michigan, describing the “finger-like” extensions to the shape of Rep. Levin’s contorted district, inav lawsuit defending the drawing of congressional districts as non-partisan,… Continue reading

Breaking: Federal Court Will Allow Lawsuit Over Citizenship Question on Census to Go Forward

July 26, 2018, 8:02 amredistrictingRick Hasen

From today’s opinion in State of NY v. US Dep’t of Commerce: Broadly speaking, in this Opinion, the Court reaches three conclusions with respect to Defendants’ motions. First, the Court categorically rejects Defendants’ efforts to insulate Secretary Ross’s decision to… Continue reading

“Emails suggest Republicans gerrymandered Michigan to weaken ‘Dem garbage’”

July 25, 2018, 10:20 amredistrictingRick Hasen

The Bridge: Emails have emerged in a federal lawsuit that suggest Republicans gerrymandered congressional districts in Michigan in 2011 to maintain an advantage over Democrats, despite years of claims the lines are drawn without political bias. The lawsuit references private… Continue reading

“Commerce Secretary Grew Impatient Over Census Citizenship Question, Emails Reveal”

July 24, 2018, 11:16 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Hansi Lo Wang for NPR: A few months after he started leading the Commerce Department, Secretary Wilbur Ross became impatient. As a powerful decider for the U.S. census, he had a keen interest in adding a citizenship question to the… Continue reading

“A Shadow Across Our Democracy”

July 24, 2018, 9:24 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Charles Fried for the HLR Blog: There is a clear constitutional warrant. As long ago as 1986, the Court recognized that partisan gerrymanders manifestly offend the Fourteenth Amendment’s constitutional guarantee of equal protection. They are also contrary to the… Continue reading

“Drive Against Gerrymandering Finds New Life in Ballot Initiatives”

July 24, 2018, 12:32 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Michael Wines reports for the NY Times.

“Do-It-Yourself Legislative Redistricting; A Michigan ballot initiative points the way to reforming gerrymandering, one of the most anti-democratic practices in American politics” (with note from Ron Klain)

July 22, 2018, 11:49 amredistrictingRick Hasen

NYT editorial. Nice @nytopinion piece on redistricting commissions, BUT…. They were ruled as constitutional by a 5-4 SCOTUS vote in 2015. One of the 5 was Justice Kennedy. Will the law change if Kavanaugh is confirmed?https://t.co/OShiRHNlJ9 — Ronald Klain… Continue reading