Houston Chronicle By Allie Morris 7/24/2019
Texas won’t have to seek federal approval when state lawmakers draw new election maps in two years, a three-judge panel in San Antonio decided Wednesday. The judges, however, cautioned Texas that its next process will “undoubtedly†be subject to judicial scrutiny.
“Texas would be well advised to conduct its redistricting process openly,†U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez wrote in the 27-page opinion.
The decision is a blow to civil rights groups that had asked for Texas to again face federal oversight, known as preclearance, following a years-long legal battle over Texas political maps drawn after the 2010 census, which federal courts have found intentionally discriminated against minority voters.
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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/local/politics/article/Judges-rule-against-federal-oversight-of-2021-14119782.php
