Independent news and information on electoral redistricting across the country, including grassroots campaigns, legislation, and litigation to combat partisan gerrymandering.
With all the news on impeachment updates, a news story that flew under the radar this week was the latest decision by the Supreme Court to punt on a gerrymandering case out of Ohio.
Reuters reports:
Update 8/20/19: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nesse filed a brief in federal court on Monday, August 19, asking the judge to drop a lawsuit filed by 15 Republican politicians, lobbyists, and residents over a voter-approved citizens’ redistricting commission on which they are ineligible to serve.
The Supreme Court’s decision to punt on partisan gerrymandering (RUCHO ET AL. v. COMMON CAUSE ET AL.) was discouraging for many in the electoral reform movement, but really should not have come as a surprise. The recent Court has given broad latitude to the Constitution’s granting to state legislatures control of state election law.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWUXpMO3-88
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the USC Schwarzenegger Institute convened the Terminate Gerrymandering Summit on January 10 at the University of Southern California. The Summit brought together campaigns, academics, activists, and redistricting commissioners to celebrate the victories of the 2018 midterms.
All rise. The fearsome gerrymander is back before the Supreme Court of the United States.
In the days since SCOTUS announced its decision to review partisan district-drawing cases in both Maryland and North Carolina, the already hot topic of gerrymandering grew even more fiery, with both sides anxious to see what the nation’s highest court does - or doesn’t do - to intervene.