1 year, 4 months ago

Wisconsin lawsuit asks new liberal-controlled Supreme Court to toss Republican-drawn maps

MADISON, Wis. — A lawsuit filed Wednesday asks Wisconsin’s newly liberal-controlled state Supreme Court to throw out Republican-drawn legislative maps as unconstitutional, the latest legal challenge of many nationwide that could upset political boundary lines before the 2024 election. Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said Democrats were “counting on judicial fiat to help them gain power.” He accused them of “coming to collect” from the newly elected liberal Supreme Court justice. The latest challenge asks the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take the case directly, rather than have it work through lower courts, arguing that the state legislative maps are an unconstitutional gerrymander. Dan Lenz, an attorney at Law Forward, did not rule out a future challenge to the congressional maps, saying targeting the legislative maps is a “first step.” The petition filed with the Supreme Court argues that the current maps unconstitutionally retaliate against some voters based on their viewpoint and free speech; create non-contiguous districts that include scattered fragments of detached territory; treat some voters worse than others based on their political views and where they live; and violate the promise of a free government.

Law Supreme Court Court Districts Lawsuit Wisconsin Democrats Senate Republican State Supreme Republicans Maps Legislative Protasiewicz Law Forward toss legislative state liberalcontrolled wisconsin court lawsuit supreme districts maps law majority asks republicandrawn

History of this topic

1 month, 2 weeks ago

New maps help Wisconsin Democrats make legislative gains and set up a push for majorities in 2026

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Democrats came out of Tuesday’s elections with substantial gains in the Wisconsin Legislature under new district boundaries, setting them up for a run for a majority in two years. Democrats failed to take control of the Assembly, but unofficial results Wednesday showed they had flipped 10 Republican seats, narrowing the GOP’s edge from 64-35 last session to …

5 months ago

Proposal to create a new political mapmaking system in Ohio qualifies for November ballot

Associated Press

Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election. COLUMBUS, Ohio — A proposal to change Ohio’s troubled political mapmaking system has qualified for November’s statewide ballot, the state’s elections chief announced Tuesday. Retired Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, who presided over the high court during the legal battle, called the certification “a historic step towards restoring …

5 months, 4 weeks ago

Wisconsin taxpayers to pay half the cost of redistricting consultants hired by Supreme Court

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin taxpayers will pay half of the $128,000 bill submitted by redistricting consultants hired by the state’s Supreme Court for the work they did reviewing proposed legislative maps, the liberal majority of the court ordered Monday. They called the court’s order a “brazen imposition of judicial will.” The court hired a pair of redistricting consultants to review …

8 months, 1 week ago

Lawsuit asks Wisconsin Supreme Court to strike down governor’s 400-year veto

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Attorneys with Wisconsin’s largest business lobbying group asked the state Supreme Court on Monday to strike down Democratic Gov. Wisconsin’s partial veto power was created by a 1930 constitutional amendment, but it’s been weakened over the years, including in reaction to vetoes made by former governors. The Wisconsin Supreme Court, then controlled by conservatives, undid three of …

8 months, 1 week ago

Control of Wisconsin Supreme Court will be up for grabs after liberal justice's surprise retirement

Salon

One year after a closely-watched election tipped the Wisconsin Supreme Court towards a 4-3 liberal majority, the impending retirement of a liberal justice, Ann Walsh Bradley, is teeing off another battle for control of the state's highest court. Conservatives long held the reins of legislative and judicial power in Wisconsin until the most expensive state Supreme Court campaign in U.S. …

8 months, 2 weeks ago

Wisconsin Supreme Court refuses to clarify district boundaries for potential recall election

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to offer clarity on what legislative district boundary lines should be in play for a potential recall election sought by supporters of former President Donald Trump targeting the Republican Assembly speaker. But the Wisconsin Elections Commission had asked the Supreme Court to clarify what maps should be used for any …

9 months, 3 weeks ago

New York gets a new congressional map that gives Democrats a slight edge in fight for House

Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Gov. The lines are similar to both the existing congressional map and a proposal drawn by the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission, yet appeared far from the aggressive partisan gerrymander many expected after Democrats took control of the redistricting process earlier this week. Democrats also reversed proposed changes from the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission that would …

9 months, 3 weeks ago

New York Democrats reject bipartisan congressional map, will draw their own

Hindustan Times

ALBANY, N.Y. — Democrats in the New York Legislature on Monday rejected a congressional map drawn by the state's bipartisan redistricting commission, setting the stage for the party to craft lines that help Democrats in battleground House races that could determine control of Congress. U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who is leading Democrats' effort to recapture House seats in New York, …

10 months ago

Republican DA asks Wisconsin Supreme Court to decide abortion lawsuit without lower court ruling

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — A Republican prosecutor asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday to decide whether a 174-year-old state law bans abortion in the state without waiting for a ruling from a lower appellate court. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision legalizing abortion, reactivated an 1849 law that conservatives have interpreted …

10 months ago

Wisconsin’s Democratic governor signs his new legislative maps into law after Republicans pass them

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed new legislative district maps into law on Monday that he proposed and that the Republicans who control the Legislature passed to avoid having the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court draw the lines. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler said the new maps will have a “reverse coattails” effect benefitting Democrats in the …

10 months, 1 week ago

GOP-led Wisconsin Legislature passes Democratic governor’s legislative maps

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s GOP-controlled Legislature on Tuesday passed legislative maps that were proposed by Democratic Gov. Evers gets a huge win today,” Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said, adding that under the new maps, “the Legislature will be up for grabs.” The Assembly and Senate passed the bill in quick succession Tuesday, sending it to Evers. Republicans said that …

10 months, 2 weeks ago

Wisconsin Republicans urge state Supreme Court to reject redistricting report’s findings

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Republicans urged the state Supreme Court on Thursday to ignore a report from redistricting consultants that determined GOP-proposed legislative maps were unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders. While Republicans argue that the consultants’ findings are unsound, Democrats asked the court on Thursday to adopt one of their maps that the consultants found were “nearly indistinguishable.” The stakes are huge …

10 months, 2 weeks ago

Wisconsin Democrats inch closer to overturning Republican-drawn legislative maps

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Democrats are inching closer to overturning Republican-drawn legislative maps that the GOP has used over the past 13 years to grow their majorities and advance their agenda. Republican maps adopted in 2022 by the conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court used the 2011 map as a template and kept largely the same lines in place. Democrats filed their …

10 months, 3 weeks ago

Wisconsin Supreme Court agrees to hear governor’s lawsuit against GOP-controlled Legislature

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear Democratic Gov. Rebecca Bradley, in her dissent, accused the majority of “needlessly engulfing this court in the morass of politics.” “By accepting only one of the issues raised by the Governor and holding the other two issues in abeyance, the majority refashions this court as the Governor’s avenue …

10 months, 3 weeks ago

Wisconsin redistricting experts tell Supreme Court Republican map proposals are gerrymanders

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Consultants hired by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to examine maps redrawing state legislative districts said Thursday that plans submitted by the Republican Legislature and a conservative law firm are partisan gerrymanders, but they stopped short of declaring the other four maps constitutional. “While this is just one step in this process, today is an important day for …

10 months, 3 weeks ago

Wisconsin’s Democratic governor vetoes Republican map as another redistricting court fight looms

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Democratic Gov. The veto came a day after five of Wisconsin’s Republican members of Congress, along with the GOP-controlled Legislature, asked the newest liberal member of the state Supreme Court not to hear a lawsuit that seeks to redraw congressional district maps ahead of the November election. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos accused Evers of trusting …

11 months ago

Democrats ask Wisconsin Supreme Court to order new congressional maps for fall election

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — A Washington law firm that tries to help Democrats win elections around the country has asked the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court to throw out the battleground state’s congressional maps, arguing that the court’s decision last month ordering new state legislative maps opens the door to the latest challenge. He said the lawsuit aims to “make our congressional …

11 months, 1 week ago

Wisconsin Republican leader slams Democrats’ proposed election maps as ‘political gerrymander’

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s powerful Republican Assembly leader said Tuesday that he hopes the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court adopts new constitutional legislative boundary maps, even as he slammed proposals from Democrats as “a political gerrymander” and threatened an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The map submitted by Republicans would maintain the current 64-35 GOP majority, while other maps would …

11 months, 1 week ago

Wisconsin Republicans’ large majorities expected to shrink under new legislative maps

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Most of the newly ordered maps redrawing Wisconsin’s political boundaries for the state Legislature would keep Republicans in majority control, but their dominance would be reduced, according to an independent analysis of the plans. Seven sets of new state Senate and Assembly maps were submitted on Friday, the deadline given by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to propose …

11 months, 2 weeks ago

Wisconsin redistricting consultants to be paid up to $100,000 each

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Two consultants hired to analyze new legislative boundary lines in Wisconsin after the state’s Supreme Court tossed out the current Republican-drawn maps will be paid up to $100,000 each under terms of their contracts made public Thursday. Court challenges could result in new U.S. House and state legislative maps before the November election. Jonathan Cervas, of Carnegie …

11 months, 3 weeks ago

GOP lawmakers ask Wisconsin Supreme Court to reconsider redistricting ruling, schedule for new maps

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Republican lawmakers have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to stay and reconsider its finding that the state’s legislative district boundaries are unconstitutional. Attorneys representing a host of Republican state Senators filed a motion with the court Thursday saying they can’t meet the court’s Jan. 12 deadline for new maps. The court ordered the Legislature and other parties …

1 year ago

Wisconsin Supreme Court orders new legislative maps in redistricting case brought by Democrats

LA Times

The Wisconsin Supreme Court listens to arguments from Wisconsin Assistant Atty. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has overturned Republican-drawn legislative maps and ordered that new district boundary lines be drawn as Democrats had urged in a state with large Republican legislative majorities. “Because the current state legislative districts contain separate, detached territory and therefore violate the constitution’s contiguity requirements, we enjoin …

1 year ago

Wisconsin Supreme Court orders new legislative maps in redistricting case brought by Democrats

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — The liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned Republican-drawn legislative maps on Friday and ordered that new district boundary lines be drawn as Democrats had urged in a redistricting case they hope will weaken GOP majorities. “Because the current state legislative districts contain separate, detached territory and therefore violate the constitution’s contiguity requirements, we enjoin the Wisconsin Elections Commission …

1 year ago

THINGS TO KNOW: Deadline looms for new map in embattled North Dakota redistricting lawsuit

Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. — The clock is running out on a Friday deadline for North Dakota’s Republican-controlled Legislature to draw new legislative boundaries compliant with the Voting Rights Act for two Native American tribes who successfully sued for new lines. A federal judge last month ruled that the state’s 2021 redistricting map violates the landmark 1965 civil rights law in diluting …

1 year ago

How much gerrymandering is too much? In New York, the answer could make or break Dems’ House hopes

Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s highest court last week gave Democrats a chance to redraw the state’s congressional districts, a major victory as the party tries to win control of the U.S. House next year. “There’s no hard and fast definition or bright line to define partisan gerrymandering,” said New York Law School professor Jeffrey Wice, who focuses on redistricting. …

1 year ago

New York’s high court orders new congressional maps as Democrats move to retake control of US House

Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s highest court on Tuesday ordered the state to draw new congressional districts ahead of the 2024 elections, giving Democrats a potential advantage in what is expected to be a battleground for control of the U.S. House. “In 2014, the voters of New York amended our Constitution to provide that legislative districts be drawn by an …

1 year ago

Tennessee Supreme Court blocks decision to redraw state’s Senate redistricting maps

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s highest court on Friday temporarily blocked a lower court’s decision that lawmakers must redraw the state’s Senate maps in a ruling that means the current legislative districts will likely remain in place for the 2024 elections. The same trial judges ruled to temporarily block the Senate map in 2022, but the Supreme Court reinstated the districts …

1 year ago

Appeals court takes DeSantis’ side in challenge to a map that helped unseat a Black congressman

Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Legislature didn’t violate the state constitution when it approved congressional maps pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that helped the GOP replace a Black Democratic representative with a white conservative, an appeals court ruled Friday. The 1st District Court of Appeal reversed a lower court’s ruling that the map that rewrote U.S. Rep. Alan Lawson’s …

1 year, 1 month ago

Judges rule against Tennessee Senate redistricting map over treatment of Nashville seats

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Republican-drawn map for Tennessee’s Senate seats violates the state Constitution because lawmakers incorrectly numbered the legislative districts in left-leaning Nashville, which affects which years those seats are on the ballot, a panel of judges ruled Wednesday. According to Wednesday’s ruling, the state’s attorneys “conceded” that they would not defend the Senate map in court and instead …

1 year, 1 month ago

Wisconsin Supreme Court Hearing Arguments On Redistricting That Could Result In New Maps For 2024

Huff Post

FILE - A man walks by the Wisconsin Capitol, Oct. 10, 2012, in Madison, Wis. Supporters of Wisconsin's taxpayer-funded school choice and independent charter school programs urged the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is located inside the state Capitol, on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, to reject a lawsuit seeking to declare the programs unconstitutional, saying such a move would create chaos …

1 year, 1 month ago

Democrats urge Wisconsin Supreme Court to overturn Republican-drawn legislative maps

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Democrats urged the Wisconsin Supreme Court to overturn Republican-drawn legislative maps Tuesday, with conservative justices questioning the timing of the redistricting challenge, while liberals focused on the constitutionality of the current maps and what the process should be for adopting new ones. Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley most aggressively questioned the motives of Democrats and repeatedly referenced newly …

1 year, 2 months ago

The Supreme Court refuses to speed the drawing of a new congressional map in Louisiana

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected an emergency appeal from Black voters in Louisiana to speed the process of drawing new congressional districts in the state. The appeals court said U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick was moving too fast and must give the state more time to consider a new map. Civil rights groups had hoped a new …

1 year, 2 months ago

Wisconsin Supreme Court asked to draw new legislative boundaries over Republican objections

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Democratic voters in Wisconsin hoping to undo Republican-drawn legislative district maps told the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court on Monday that it should create new maps by March — forcing every lawmaker to stand for election under redrawn lines in 2024. New maps favoring Democrats would weaken Republicans’ grip on legislative power, which they have also used in …

1 year, 2 months ago

The Supreme Court on voting rights and gerrymanders: if you draw racist maps make sure you call them partisan.

Slate

In this week’s big voting rights case, Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, the Supreme Court heard arguments concerning whether to uphold a South Carolina congressional map that is avowedly partisan. In arguments on Wednesday, it became clear that the high court’s conservatives would rather toss out the evidence the lower court used to reach its decision, …

1 year, 2 months ago

Liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court justice rejects GOP call to recuse on redistricting cases

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a 4-3 vote along partisan lines Friday, agreed to hear a challenge to Republican-drawn legislative maps after a newly elected liberal justice declined to recuse herself. Republicans had asked that Protasiewicz recuse from both redistricting cases, arguing in their motion that “Justice Protasiewicz’s campaign statements reveal that her thumb is very much …

1 year, 2 months ago

Another round of Ohio Statehouse maps has been challenged in court, despite bipartisan support

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Advocacy groups fighting Ohio’s political maps in court formally objected Thursday to the latest round of Statehouse districts, which they see as once again unfairly drawn to favor Republicans. The parties have “no choice” but to continue their challenge against the new maps, said Yurij Rudensky, senior counsel in the Democracy Program operation by New York University …

1 year, 3 months ago

Wisconsin redistricting fight focuses on the recusal of a key justice as impeachment threat lingers

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Republicans fighting to preserve Wisconsin legislative electoral maps they drew argue in new legal filings that a key liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court justice must recuse from the case despite the dismissal of complaints against her related to comments she made about redistricting. Democratic allies asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to throw out the Republican maps counter in …

1 year, 3 months ago

Wisconsin Assembly Republicans pass sweeping redistricting reform, but likely veto awaits

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Assembly passed a sweeping redistricting reform plan Thursday that takes the power of drawing maps out of the hands of lawmakers and gives it to nonpartisan staff. Democrats, suspicious of Republican motives, urged opposition to the proposal, saying it’s all a ruse designed to circumvent the newly liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court from throwing out the …

1 year, 3 months ago

Wisconsin GOP's impeachment plan: Another MAGA coup against democracy

Salon

MAGA Republicans in Wisconsin are gearing up to impeach newly elected state Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz, just five weeks after she took her seat on the court and before she has cast her first vote. Protasiewicz's resounding victory last April tells us that a large statewide majority in Wisconsin — typically a "purple" state where votes are evenly divided …

1 year, 3 months ago

Ohio will keep GOP-drawn congressional maps in 2024 elections, ending court challenge

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Congressional district maps previously deemed unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court will be used in 2024 after the high court dismissed legal challenges against the Republican-drawn districts on Thursday. The Ohio voting-rights groups that brought forward the challenges moved to dismiss their own lawsuits against the Republican-drawn maps earlier this week, saying the turmoil isn’t in the …

1 year, 3 months ago

Legal fights over voting districts could play role in control of Congress for 2024

Associated Press

Democrats got a potential boost for the 2024 congressional elections as courts in Alabama and Florida ruled recently that Republican-led legislatures had unfairly diluted the voting power of Black residents. Another trial alleging racial violations in voting districts got underway Tuesday in Georgia, where Democrats also hope to make gains, while voting rights advocates in Ohio decided to drop a …

1 year, 3 months ago

Wisconsin GOP may try to impeach newly-elected liberal Supreme Court justice

Salon

Wisconsin Republicans are considering the impeachment of a newly-elected liberal justice on the state Supreme Court before she has even heard a case, according to a New York Times report. The threats to Justice Janet Protasiewicz came only weeks after her decisive election victory, which created a new 4-3 liberal majority on the state's high court that is likely to …

1 year, 3 months ago

Voting rights groups ask to dismiss lawsuit challenging gerrymandered Ohio congressional map

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio voting-rights groups moved to dismiss their lawsuit against Ohio’s unconstitutional congressional map on Tuesday, arguing that prolonging the legal wrangling over where to draw district boundaries isn’t in the best interests of Ohio voters. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Ohio and others, told the Ohio …

1 year, 3 months ago

Voting rights groups ask to dismiss lawsuit challenging gerrymandered Ohio congressional map

The Independent

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ohio voting-rights groups moved to dismiss their lawsuit against Ohio's …

1 year, 3 months ago

DeSantis’ redistricting map in Florida is unconstitutional and must be redrawn, judge says

Associated Press

A Florida redistricting plan pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis violates the state constitution and is prohibited from being used for any future U.S. congressional elections since it diminishes the ability of Black voters in north Florida to pick a representative of their choice, a state judge ruled Saturday. Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh sent the plan back to the …

1 year, 4 months ago

Wisconsin Republicans ask newly elected liberal justice to not hear redistricting case

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature asked that the newest Democratic-backed justice on the state Supreme Court recuse herself from lawsuits seeking to overturn GOP-drawn electoral maps, arguing that she has prejudged the cases. Republicans argue in their motions filed with the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday and made public Wednesday that Justice Janet Protasiewicz can’t fairly …

1 year, 4 months ago

The Rule of Janet Is Here. Wisconsin Republicans Should Be Afraid.

Slate

Justice Janet Protasiewicz was sworn into the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday, creating a 4–3 liberal majority after years of conservative domination. After the U.S. Supreme Court declined to restrict partisan redistricting, Wisconsinites had just one remaining solution: their state Supreme Court, which remains free to limit gerrymandering under the state constitution. Second, it claims that the maps violate freedom …

1 year, 5 months ago

Supreme Court rejects novel legislative theory but leaves a door open for 2024 election challenges

Associated Press

The U.S. Supreme Court shot down a controversial legal theory that could have changed the way elections are run across the country but left the door open to more limited challenges that could increase its role in deciding voting disputes during the 2024 presidential election. The court’s 6-3 ruling Tuesday drove a stake through the most extreme version of the …

1 year, 5 months ago

Supreme Court rejects novel legislative theory, but leaves door open for 2024 election challenges

The Independent

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The court found that state courts still must act within “ordinary bounds” when reviewing …

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1 week, 4 days ago