Saturday, September 04, 2021

87(3): Redistricting, aka gerrymandering


Slated, but perhaps not to be.


Scott Braddock quotes the relevant passage from the state's constitution, and Alexa Ura reports that the 5th Circuit has already appointed a three-judge panel -- one Reagan appointee, one Obama, and one Trump -- to hear the case.

Don't be surprised by the eventual lede: "In a 2-1 decision ..."  Also from Braddock:


Redistricting was done in 2003 in special session after now-Senate Dean John Whitmire reglued that year's Democratic quorum break by coming back from Oklahoma.  In 2011 the process also began in special session after the 2010 census data came in (thanks, Ballotpedia) and litigation continued through 2014.

So this seems like a novel legal argument.  I would think that precedent would be of considerable weight to the judges at every level where the case receives a hearing (though IANAL, and predicting court decisions in this arena is a bigger fool's errand than usual).  So like you, I'll watch and wait and see what happens.

Probably over the next few years.