TagRedistricting

New Hampshire becomes final state to enact congressional map

By Ellen Morrissey
In Uncategorized
June 1, 2022 at 12:10 PM

New Hampshire enacted the final congressional map of the 2020 redistricting cycle on May 31, 2022, when the New Hampshire Supreme Court approved a map drawn by redistricting special master Nathaniel Persily. New Hampshire was apportioned two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, one more than it received after the 2010 census. This map will take effect for New Hampshire’s 2022 congressional elections.

The New Hampshire Supreme Court assumed control over the redistricting process as part of a lawsuit filed by former New Hampshire House Speaker Terie Norelli (D) and several voters. On April 11, the court announced it would take control of the process if the state legislature and governor could not draw a new congressional map.

The New Hampshire state legislature approved two congressional map bills. The first was approved 186-164 in the New Hampshire House on January 5 and 13-11 in the New Hampshire Senate on March 17. Shortly after the map was approved by the Senate, Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said he planned to veto the map. The House voted 176-171 and the Senate voted 14-10 to approve a second map bill on May 26. On the same day, Sununu said he planned to veto the map.

As of May 31, 43 states have adopted new congressional maps, six states were apportioned one congressional district (so no congressional redistricting is required), and Florida’s congressional map is currently undergoing a legal challenge. As of May 31 in 2012, 42 states had enacted congressional redistricting plans.

States have completed congressional redistricting for 408 of the 435 seats (93.8%) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Alaska completes state legislative redistricting

By Dave Beaudoin
In State
May 27, 2022 at 7:14 PM

Alaska completed its state legislative redistricting on May 24 when the Alaska Redistricting Board adopted a new map of state Senate districts at the direction of the Alaska Supreme Court. The state had initially enacted legislative district boundaries on Nov. 10, 2021, following a 3-2 vote by the redistricting board. The three Republican-appointed board members voted in favor of the map and the two nonpartisan board members voted against it.

The Alaska Supreme Court had ruled on March 25 that one state House and one state Senate district did not comply with the state constitution and required the redistricting board to redraw the districts. The Alaska Redistricting Board adopted new legislative district boundaries to comply with the state supreme court’s ruling on April 13. A group of plaintiffs challenged the mapping of state House to state Senate districts and on May 16, the Third District of Alaska’s Superior Court ruled that the April 13 map was unconstitutional.

The Alaska Supreme Court upheld the superior court’s decision on May 24. In its ruling, the state supreme court wrote, “We AFFIRM the superior court’s determination that the Board again engaged in unconstitutional political gerrymandering to increase the one group’s voting power at the expense of others.” The court’s ruling also affirmed “the superior court’s order that the Board adopt the Option 2 proclamation plan as an interim plan for the 2022 elections.”

As of May 25, 48 states have adopted legislative district maps for both chambers. The Ohio Supreme Court overturned that state’s previously enacted maps and Montana has not yet adopted legislative redistricting plans after the 2020 census.

Nationwide, legislative redistricting has been completed for 1,890 of 1,973 state Senate seats (95.8%) and 5,214 of 5,413 state House seats (96.3%).

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Missouri enacts new congressional district boundaries after the 2020 census

By Dave Beaudoin
In State
May 27, 2022 at 12:10 PM

Missouri enacted new congressional district boundaries on May 18 when Gov. Mike Parson (R) signed them into law. Missouri was apportioned eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. This map will take effect for Missouri’s 2022 congressional elections.

The Missouri House of Representatives approved the final version of the new congressional districts—HB 2909—on May 9 by a vote of 101-47. Eighty-six Republicans and 15 Democrats approved the new map and 28 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted against it. The state Senate approved the redistricting legislation on May 11 by a vote of 22-11. Sixteen Republicans and six Democrats voted to approve the new map and seven Republicans and four Democrats voted against.

According to Rudi Keller of the Missouri Independent, “No change in the partisan makeup of the Missouri delegation, currently six Republicans and two Democrats, is expected as a result of the map.”

After Senate passage, State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R) said, “I believe the new map does a good job of balancing Missouri’s regions and their different views. It meets all the requirements we are constitutionally obligated to meet.”

As of May 25, 42 states have adopted new congressional maps, six states were apportioned one congressional district (so no congressional redistricting is required), Florida’s map was overturned by a court decision that is under appeal, and New Hampshire has not yet adopted congressional redistricting plans. As of May 25 in 2012, 42 states had enacted congressional redistricting plans.

States have completed congressional redistricting for 406 of the 435 seats (93.3%) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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New York court adopts new congressional, state senate maps

By Ellen Morrissey
In State
May 23, 2022 at 11:30 PM

New York enacted new congressional and state senate districts on May 20, 2022, when Justice Patrick McAllister ordered the adoption of maps drawn by redistricting special master Jonathan Cervas. New York was apportioned 26 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, one fewer than it received after the 2010 census. These maps will take effect for New York’s 2022 congressional and state legislative elections.

McAllister overturned New York’s state senate and congressional maps on March 31, 2022. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed the initial maps into law on February 3, 2022.

McAllister wrote in his May 20 order, “​​the court believes the maps remain almost perfectly neutral, meaning the maps do not favor or disfavor any political party.” 

Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause New York, said, “It’s clear he listened to the extensive comments sent to the court, including ours and those of the Unity Maps, as the maps now reflect a deeper understanding of minority and other communities’ interests. Ultimately, as he indicates, he valued compactness above all else.”

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) criticized the congressional map, saying, “the court of appeals was wrong in the decision that they made both on the substance and in terms of turning over redistricting to an out of town, unelected special master and a judicial overseer in Steuben County, who was a Republican.” Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) also criticized the map, saying “by splitting [Black] communities, the map further alienates them and perpetuates the opportunity for further historical neglect by the electoral system. […] Their voting power is directly tied to their lives and they deserve a fair chance at electing representatives that take their unique needs into full consideration.”

As of May 20, 2022, 41 states have adopted congressional district maps. One state’s maps have been overturned by court action and two states have not yet adopted congressional redistricting plans after the 2020 census. Six states were apportioned one U.S. House district, so no congressional redistricting is required. As of May 20, 2012, 42 states had enacted congressional redistricting plans after the 2010 census.

Forty-seven states have adopted legislative district maps for both chambers. A court in one state has overturned previously enacted maps, a court in one state has overturned a map for one chamber, and one state has not yet adopted legislative redistricting plans after the 2020 census. As of May 20, 2012, 46 states had enacted congressional redistricting plans.

Nationwide, legislative redistricting has been completed for 1,870 of 1,973 state Senate seats (94.8%) and 5,214 of 5,413 state House seats (96.3%). Congressional redistricting has been completed for 398 of the 435 seats (91.5%) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Kansas enacts legislative district boundaries after state supreme court approves them

By Dave Beaudoin
In State
May 19, 2022 at 9:50 PM

Kansas enacted new legislative district boundaries on May 18 when the Kansas Supreme Court unanimously upheld the maps that Gov. Laura Kelly (D) signed into law on April 15. As specified in the state constitution, the state supreme court had to approve or reject the new boundaries within 10 days of Attorney General Derek Schmidt (R) filing them with the court. The maps will take effect for Kansas’ 2022 state legislative elections.

Both chambers of the legislature passed the redistricting legislation on March 30 after a joint House-Senate conference committee had developed it. The Kansas House of Representatives approved the legislative boundaries 83-40 and the state Senate approved them 29-11.

After Kelly signed the maps, Andrew Bahl and Rafael Garcia of the Topeka Capital-Journal wrote, “The state Senate and House maps were mildly contested in the Legislature, particularly in the Senate where the map will create a fourth, Democrat-leaning district in Topeka and Lawrence.”

As of May 19, 46 states have adopted legislative district maps for both chambers. The Ohio Supreme Court has overturned that state’s previously enacted maps, courts in two states have overturned a map for one chamber, and Montana has not yet adopted legislative redistricting plans after the 2020 census. As of May 19, 2012, 46 states had enacted legislative redistricting plans after the 2010 census.

Nationwide, legislative redistricting has been completed for 1,807 of 1,973 state Senate seats (91.6%) and 5,214 of 5,413 state House seats (96.3%).

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New Hampshire enacts new state senate map

By Ellen Morrissey
In State
May 11, 2022 at 8:40 AM

New Hampshire enacted new state senate districts on May 6, 2022, when Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed a proposal that both legislative chambers approved into law. The maps will take effect for New Hampshire’s 2022 state legislative elections.

On February 16, the New Hampshire Senate passed a map in a 14-10 vote, which the House then approved on April 21 in a 172-149 vote. The Senate Redistricting Committee initially advanced the proposal on January 5, 2022.

As of May 6, 46 states have adopted legislative district maps for both chambers. Legislative boundaries in Kansas are awaiting approval by that state’s supreme court. A court in Ohio has overturned previously enacted maps, a court in New York has overturned a map for one chamber, and Montana has not yet adopted legislative redistricting plans after the 2020 census.

As of May 6, 2012, 46 states had enacted legislative redistricting plans after the 2010 census.

Nationwide, states have completed legislative redistricting for 1,827 of 1,972 state Senate seats (92.6%) and 5,214 of 5,411 state House seats (96.3%).

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Kansas District Court judge overturns that state’s new congressional district boundaries

By Dave Beaudoin
In State
April 26, 2022 at 8:56 PM

Wyandotte County District Court Judge Bill Klapper struck down Kansas’ enacted congressional map on April 25 for violating the state constitution due to political and racial gerrymandering. Klapper’s ruling stated, “The Court has no difficulty finding, as a factual matter, that Ad Astra 2 is an intentional, effective pro-Republican gerrymander that systemically dilutes the votes of Democratic Kansans.” Klapper’s ruling also said that the state’s new district boundaries “intentionally and effectively dilutes minority votes in violation of the Kansas Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection.”

Klapper issued his decision in a case resulting from the consolidation of three lawsuits challenging Kansas’ congressional map from 20 Kansas voters and the organization Loud Light, which describes itself on its website as a group that “engages, educates, and empowers individuals from underrepresented populations to build community power that has an impact on decision makers.” Klapper heard oral arguments on the consolidated cases earlier this month.

The court’s ruling blocks Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab (R) and local election officials from using the previously enacted maps for the state’s upcoming elections and directs the legislature to “enact a remedial plan in conformity with this opinion as expeditiously as possible.” Andrew Bahl of the Topeka Capitol Journal wrote that Republican legislative leaders said they would ask Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt (R) to appeal Klapper’s ruling to the state supreme court.

The state Senate and state House enacted the overturned boundaries Feb. 9 when the chambers overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s (D) veto. In both chambers, all votes to override the governor’s veto were from Republicans and all legislative Democrats that cast votes were to sustain Kelly’s veto. The state Senate originally approved the congressional district map proposal on Jan. 21 and the state House of Representatives approved it on Jan. 26. Kelly vetoed the congressional map on Feb. 3.

After the state legislature overrode Kelly’s veto, Bahl wrote that the “maps were hotly contested, largely for the decision to split Wyandotte County and put part of the Kansas City, Kan., area in the 2nd Congressional District, a move that endangers the state’s lone Democrat in Congress, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, and, Democrats argue, unfairly divides minority communities.”

Klapper was originally appointed to a judgeship on the 29th Judicial District court in Wyandotte County by Gov. Sam Brownback (R) in 2013. He was elected without opposition in both the Democratic primary and general elections in both 2014 and 2018.

Kansas’ candidate filing deadline is June 1, and statewide, congressional, and local primaries are scheduled for Aug. 2.

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Florida enacts new congressional map

By Ellen Morrissey
In State
April 26, 2022 at 11:58 AM

Florida enacted new congressional districts on April 22, 2022, when Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a proposal approved by the legislature into law. Florida was apportioned 28 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, one more than it received after the 2010 census. This map will take effect for Florida’s 2022 congressional elections.

On April 20, the Florida Senate passed a map in a 24-15 vote, which the House then approved on April 21 in a 68-34 vote. 

This was the second congressional map bill approved that the state legislature approved. DeSantis vetoed the first on March 29. Republican leaders in the legislature said on April 11 that they would wait to receive a map from DeSantis to support. DeSantis submitted a map to the legislature on April 13, which the legislature passed.

Florida Politics’s Jacob Ogles wrote of the enacted map, “The most controversial change DeSantis made in his map, this new CD 4 really stands in as the replacement to the Lawson seat. […] The Black population in Jacksonville gets cleaved in half by the St. Johns River after DeSantis vetoed a map drawn by the Florida House that created a Duval-only Black seat.” When DeSantis vetoed the initial map bill, he wrote in a memo, “Congressional District 5 [Lawson’s district] in both the primary and secondary maps enacted by the Legislature violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution because it assigns voters primarily on the basis of race but is not narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling state interest.”

State Rep. Tracie Davis (D) criticized the enacted map saying, “You hate when we use the word disenfranchisement. You turn your back. You look the other way. But you have to realize that is exactly what this is: Gutting, now-CD 4 … leaves us simply without representation. It simply means that the Black population in Florida that lives north of the I-4 corridor, their voices will be diluted. Their power in this process simply washed away.” 

Rep. Kaylee Tuck (R) supported the enacted map saying, “[DeSantis] publicly submitted maps, which is something that anybody can do. He’s allowed to do it. Every single member of the public was allowed to do it. And just because it’s different, doesn’t mean it’s bad. Just because it’s different, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It’s just different. The process was thorough, it was transparent. It was open. It was complete. It was constitutional. And it was good.”

As of April 25, 40 states have adopted new congressional maps, one state’s maps have been overturned by court action, and three states have not yet adopted congressional redistricting plans after the 2020 census. Six states were apportioned one U.S. House district, so no congressional redistricting is required. As of April 25 in 2012, 42 states had enacted congressional redistricting plans.

States have completed congressional redistricting for 393 of the 435 seats (90.3%) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Wyoming is only state so far to change number of state legislators after redistricting

By Dave Beaudoin
In State
April 15, 2022 at 11:14 AM

Wyoming enacted new state legislative district boundaries on March 25 when Gov. Mark Gordon (R) allowed the maps to become law without signing them. The bill adds one Senate seat and two House of Representatives seats to the state legislature, meaning that after the 2022 elections, Wyoming will have 31 state Senators and 62 state Representatives. As of April 14, 44 states have completed legislative redistricting after the 2020 census, and Wyoming is the only one thus far to change its number of legislators. 

West Virginia adopted a redistricting plan changing that state’s House of Delegates from 67 to 100 districts but kept the number of legislators at 100. It will go from having 47 single-member and 20 multi-member districts to 100 single-member districts.

Nationwide, there are currently 1,971 state Senators and 5,411 state Representatives. After the 2022 elections, there will be 1,972 state Senators and 5,413 Representatives.

In Wyoming, the state House and Senate passed two separate redistricting proposals and a joint conference committee developed the final boundaries. The state Senate passed the new maps, 17-12, with all votes in favor by Republicans and 10 Republicans and two Democrats voting against. The state House approved the maps by a 44-12 vote. Thirty-seven Republicans, six Democrats, and one Libertarian voted in favor, and 11 Republicans and one independent voted against.

When the proposal to increase the number of legislators was discussed in Wyoming’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee, Sen. Tara Nethercott (R) said, “Historically, the Legislature has had even more legislators than this amount. This is not a new concept for us to consider, or particularly profound in that way. The purpose is to identify the greatest amount of concern that we heard and provide solutions, really maximizing solutions to concerns.”

According to the National Conference of State Legislators, Wyoming changed the number of members of its state legislature five times between 1964 and 1992. During that period, the state House of Representatives had between 56 and 64 members and the state Senate had between 25 and 30 members.

After the 2010 census, New York increased its number of state Senators from 62 to 63. 

After the 2000 census, New York increased the number of state Senators by one, to 62. Two states—North Dakota and Rhode Island—reduced the number of state legislators in both chambers.

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Mississippi enacts new legislative district boundaries

By Dave Beaudoin
In State
April 8, 2022 at 6:02 PM

Mississippi enacted new state legislative district boundaries on March 31 when both legislative chambers approved district maps for the other chamber. Legislative redistricting in Mississippi does not require gubernatorial approval. The maps will take effect for the state’s next legislative elections, in 2023.

Redistricting of the state Senate was approved by the Senate 45-7 on March 29, and the state House approved the Senate’s district boundaries on March 31 by a vote of 68-49. New district boundaries for the Mississippi House of Representatives were approved by the House on March 29 by an 81-38 vote. The Mississippi Senate approved the House map—41 to 8—on March 31.

Emily Wagster Pettus of the Associated Press wrote that “Republican legislative leaders said the redistricting plans are likely to maintain their party’s majority in each chamber.” Pettus also wrote that “Senate President Pro Tempore Dean Kirby of Pearl said the Senate redistricting plan keeps the same number of Republican-leaning and Democratic-leaning districts as now.”

As of April 7, 43 states have adopted legislative district maps for both chambers and one state has adopted maps for one legislative chamber. Courts in three states have overturned previously enacted maps, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Wisconsin’s enacted maps, and two states have not yet adopted legislative redistricting plans after the 2020 census. As of April 7, 2012, 44 states had enacted legislative redistricting plans after the 2010 census.

Nationwide, legislative redistricting has been completed for 1,758 of 1,972 state Senate seats (89.1%) and 4,776 of 5,411 state House seats (88.3%).

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