kong
01-20-2012, 04:37 PM
Supreme Court Ruling Favors Texas in Redistricting
The Supreme Court today threw out interim redistricting maps drawn by a federal court in Texas saying the court had not paid enough deference to maps drawn by the Republican dominated state legislature. The unsigned unanimous decision will clarify a controversy in the state that has already lead to a delay in the Texas primary. At issue are two sets of maps for the state’s congressional districts, which had to be redrawn after Texas gained four new seats in the 2010 census reapportionment. One map, drawn by the GOP-controlled legislature, favors Republicans lawmakers and is is currently being challenged by Latino groups. Another congressional map was drawn by a federal court in Texas and meant to be used on an interim basis for the next election. The court drawn map had favored Democrats. The state of Texas had challenged the court drawn interim maps arguing that the court should have deferred at least in part to the maps drawn by the legislature. But Latino groups and Democrats had argued that the legislature drawn maps did not reflect the Latino population growth in Texas since the 2010 census.
While it does not compel the use of the maps drawn by the legislature, the Supreme Court decision said the federal court has to go back to the drawing board.
What is not clear is what will happen with the Texas primaries, which are currently scheduled for April.
The Supreme Court today threw out interim redistricting maps drawn by a federal court in Texas saying the court had not paid enough deference to maps drawn by the Republican dominated state legislature. The unsigned unanimous decision will clarify a controversy in the state that has already lead to a delay in the Texas primary. At issue are two sets of maps for the state’s congressional districts, which had to be redrawn after Texas gained four new seats in the 2010 census reapportionment. One map, drawn by the GOP-controlled legislature, favors Republicans lawmakers and is is currently being challenged by Latino groups. Another congressional map was drawn by a federal court in Texas and meant to be used on an interim basis for the next election. The court drawn map had favored Democrats. The state of Texas had challenged the court drawn interim maps arguing that the court should have deferred at least in part to the maps drawn by the legislature. But Latino groups and Democrats had argued that the legislature drawn maps did not reflect the Latino population growth in Texas since the 2010 census.
While it does not compel the use of the maps drawn by the legislature, the Supreme Court decision said the federal court has to go back to the drawing board.
What is not clear is what will happen with the Texas primaries, which are currently scheduled for April.