Courts give Democrats unexpected boost on redistricting

 

A series of state court victories has handed Democrats an unexpected upper hand in red states where Republican legislators had the power to draw congressional district lines, giving their party better odds of winning control of Congress in the decade ahead.

The North Carolina Supreme Court last week became the latest to strike down Republican-drawn district lines when it ordered the legislature to draw new boundaries that would give Democrats a better chance at winning seats in Congress. The original lines struck down in the 4-3 decision would have given Republicans control of at least 10 of the state’s 14 U.S. House seats.

The decision comes after Ohio’s Supreme Court ordered a new redistricting commission to try again to draw lines that initially handed Republicans an advantage in 13 of 15 House districts. And last month, a panel of federal judges ordered Alabama to draw a second Black-majority district.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court last week took over a redistricting case that had been proceeding in lower courts. That court is likely to adopt new maps that would favor Democrats more than proposals advanced by the Republican-controlled state legislature...MORE