Category Archives: redistricting

ELB Podcast Episode 18. Eric McGhee and Nick Stephanopoulos: Whitford, the Efficiency Gap, and the Future of Partisan Gerrymandering

September 5, 2017, 7:17 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Is the Supreme Court ready to finally rein in partisan gerrymandering? Can social science give us a manageable standard to decide when there’s too much politics in redistricting? Is the “efficiency gap” Justice Kennedy’s holy grail? On Episode 18 of… Continue reading

Sam Wang: A Manageable Federalist Approach to Partisan Gerrymandering

September 4, 2017, 10:43 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The following is a guest post from Sam Wang: Next month, the Supreme Court will hear Gill v. Whitford, concerning a partisan gerrymander of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Can the Court set a standard to limit this offense without opening… Continue reading

“David Daley: Sen. Flake is right about dangers of gerrymandering Congressional districts”

September 3, 2017, 9:54 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Arizona Daily Star oped: What’s gone less noticed, however, is that Flake – and a growing chorus of Republicans – have begun calling for reform of the very mechanism that helped give rise to Trump and ensured the Republican dominance… Continue reading

As He Did With Texas Congress Case, Justice Alito Stays TX House Redistricting Pending Full SCOTUS Review of Stay

August 31, 2017, 5:23 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Order (via Texas Tribune). As with the congressional stay order, don’t read too much into this temporary stay.

“North Carolina redistricting maps OK’d, head to judges next”

August 30, 2017, 3:07 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

AP: North Carolina legislators finished redrawing House and Senate district maps Wednesday, beating a court-ordered deadline later this week. Now Republicans who drew them must see whether federal judges agree they’ve cured problems with racial bias in the previous maps.… Continue reading

Gerken, Katz, King, Sabato and Wang Amicus Brief in WI Partisan Gerrymandering Case Pushes Symmetry Standard

August 30, 2017, 2:25 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Read it here.

“Judges: NC lawsuit over partisan gerrymander will proceed”

August 30, 2017, 8:32 amredistrictingRick Hasen

WRAL: A federal lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s congressional districts will move forward, a panel of federal judges decided Tuesday, instead of being put on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court tackles issues relevant to the case. Common Cause v.… Continue reading

“Republican NC senator, facing a new district, says he’s not running in 2018”

August 30, 2017, 8:25 amredistrictingRick Hasen

The News and Observer reports.

“The New Front in the Gerrymandering Wars: Democracy vs. Math”

August 29, 2017, 7:18 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Emily Bazelon for NYT Magazine: The Republicans tried hard to keep the mapmaking process a secret. But they weren’t successful. In the first of two lawsuits brought by Democratic voters, three federal judges berated Republican leaders in 2012 for ‘‘flailing… Continue reading

Read the Brief for Appellees in WI Partisan Gerrymandering Case

August 28, 2017, 1:29 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

With Paul Smith as counsel of record.

Justice Alito Stays Order to Redo Texas Congressional Districts Pending Further Briefing at Supreme Court

August 28, 2017, 1:05 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

This short stay (briefing done right after Labor Day) preserves the status quo until the full Court can consider the questions presented after further briefing. I would not read too much into this order at this point, other than that… Continue reading

“After losses on voting laws and districting, Texas turns to Supreme Court”

August 27, 2017, 3:39 pmredistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Bob Barnes column for WaPo: The state of Texas is in the midst of an extraordinary losing streak in federal courts over the way it conducts elections. It is hoping the Supreme Court will come to the rescue. In the… Continue reading

“The Equal Districts Efficiency Gap: Fundamental Gerrymandering Theory And An Analysis and Modification of the Efficiency Gap”

August 27, 2017, 3:02 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Ray Wallin has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: Recently the ‘efficiency gap’ method has gained notoriety by playing an important role in framing the Gill v Whitford gerrymandering case decided in Wisconsin and soon to be… Continue reading

Judge Niemeyer and intent in gerrymandering

August 27, 2017, 1:05 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtJustin Levitt

A few days ago, Rick highlighted Judge Niemeyer’s dissent in the latest order in the Maryland partisan gerrymandering case. There are, as both Judge Niemeyer and the majority pointed out, some differences between the Maryland case and the Gill v. … Continue reading