Category Archives: redistricting

“Analysis: A Peculiar Way to Disenfranchise Voters”

November 9, 2015, 8:37 amcampaigns, redistrictingRick Hasen

Fascinating Ross Ramsey column: There are many sneaky ways to disenfranchise voters — to rig the electoral system so that one group’s voices are not quite as loud as others’ —but the 23rd Congressional District of Texas might be… Continue reading

“Lawmakers Ponder New Redistricting Methods”

November 8, 2015, 1:03 pmcitizen commissions, redistrictingRick Hasen

CBS Miami: Oliva, who is set to take over as speaker of the House after the 2018 elections, said in the wake of the failed session that he was ready to consider an independent redistricting commission that would recommend… Continue reading

Listen to the Oral Argument in Shapiro v. McManus Case

November 8, 2015, 12:40 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Here, at Oyez.

Breaking: 3-Judge Court Keeps Texas Redistricting Plan in Place, for Now

November 6, 2015, 4:07 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

There has been a ruling, of sorts, in the never-ending Texas redistricting case challenging the Texas House and Texas congressional districts under the Voting Rights Act. The three-judge panel, which has been hearing permutations of this case for about half… Continue reading

“Just How Much Gerrymandering Is Unconstitutional? Wisconsin Plaintiffs Want the Supreme Court to Rule”

November 5, 2015, 8:29 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

National Journal reports.

“Supreme Court appears conflicted on dismissal of gerrymandering case”

November 5, 2015, 7:58 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Bob Barnes writes for WaPo.

More Thoughts on Oral Argument in Shapiro v. McManus

November 5, 2015, 7:53 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Howard Wasserman: “wyers for both sides in yesterday’s argument in Shapiro v. McManus encountered an unusually subdued Court. In a case considering whether a single district judge can dismiss, for failure to state a claim, an action that otherwise … Continue reading

“Supreme Court Justices Fear Loss of Control Over Redistricting Cases”

November 4, 2015, 12:36 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Adam Liptak in the NYT on Shapiro v. McManus: At a Supreme Court argument on Wednesday about procedures in redistricting cases, the justices appeared to be trying to reconcile two conflicting impulses. They did not want to close the door… Continue reading

Chief Justice Roberts, and Justices Breyer and Alito on Key Role of 3 Judge Courts in Political Cases

November 4, 2015, 11:33 amcampaign finance, redistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

From today’s transcript in Shapiro v. McManus: CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: I mean, the other alternative is it’s a three-judge district court, and then we have to take it on the merits. I mean, that’s a serious problem because there … Continue reading

Oral Argument Transcript in #SCOTUS Shapiro v. McManus Case

November 4, 2015, 10:50 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

You can read it here. I previewed this case (and two others the Court is hearing this term) in Supreme Court Heads Back into the Political Thicket, Orange County Lawyer, Sept. 2015.

“Attorney: Arizona voting maps don’t hurt GOP”

November 4, 2015, 6:50 amredistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Arizona Daily Star: A Republican claim of bias in the legislative redistricting process does not stand up under scrutiny, according to an attorney for the Independent Redistricting Commission. In legal briefs filed at the U.S. Supreme Court, Mary O’Grady… Continue reading

“Voters approve issue to reform Ohio’s redistricting process”

November 3, 2015, 8:03 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Columbus Dispatch: Voters overwhelmingly backed a plan to reform Ohio’s hyper-partisan process for drawing legislative districts, and supporters are already looking ahead to passing the same reforms for congressional districts next year. …The current five-member redistricting panel, which includes… Continue reading

“Offering a new standard for gerrymandering to the Supreme Court”

November 2, 2015, 3:44 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Sam Wang: Today, I filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Harris v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission case (S. Ct. 14-232). The brief can be found here. In it, I argue that the Supreme Court should reject Harris’s… Continue reading

“Campaign Legal Center Brief Urges Supreme Court to Reject Challenge to Arizona Commission’s Redistricting Plan”

November 2, 2015, 9:07 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Release: Today, the Campaign Legal Center filed an amici brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Harris v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission on behalf of former Justice Department attorneys in support of the Commission and its redistricting plan. The… Continue reading