(NEWSnet/AP) — Court challenges could force state lawmakers or special commissions to draw yet a new set of maps before the 2024 elections for representatives in Congress and state capitols.
That means some voters who were just shifted into new U.S. House or state legislative districts after the 2020 Census results were available could be grouped with different communities when they go to vote the next time.
In the most recent case, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling that Alabama’s congressional districts likely violated the federal Voting Rights Act by diluting the political power of Black voters.
The ruling means the state's Republican-led Legislature and GOP governor likely will have to draw new U.S. House districts; and could in turn lead to new U.S. House districts in Louisiana and Georgia.
But there are other areas where voting districts could change in the next few months:
Redrawn Assembly districts are expected in New York, where the state’s highest court struck down maps approved by the Democratic-led legislature for the U.S. House, state Senate and state Assembly. Since then, New York’s Independent Redistricting Commission endorsed a revised Assembly map, which takes effect for the 2024 elections.
A pending lawsuit asks that the commission also be allowed to draw new U.S. House maps.
Whatever the U.S. Supreme Court does with pending litigation from North Carolina, lawmakers in that state plan to redraw congressional districts before the next election — giving Republicans a chance at winning more seats in that state.
In Ohio, the state Supreme Court rejected multiple maps drawn by Republican officials for U.S. House, state Senate and state House districts. But courts allowed the 2022 elections to take place using those maps, directing new districts to be drawn before the next elections.
Cases are pending in New Mexico and Utah claiming that their congressional districts are illegal partisan gerrymanders — in New Mexico's case benefitting Democrats, and in Utah's aiding Republicans.
And in Kentucky, a trial court last November rejected a partisan gerrymandering claim brought by Democrats against congressional and state House maps adopted by the Republican-led Legislature. That case has been appealed to the state Supreme Court.
Copyright 2023 NEWSnet and The Associated Press. All rights reserved.