Supreme Court Puts Gerrymandering On Notice

[bigheadfred]

This article first appeared on the Cato Institute site.


In the 1990s, the Supreme Court established that “a racially gerrymandered redistricting scheme…is constitutionally suspect” under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Wednesday’s more or less unanimous decision in Bethune-Hill v. Virginia Board of Elections confirms that the Court is not prepared to back off or cut corners on that principle.

In particular, the High Court unanimously found that a U.S. District Court had been too indulgent in reviewing Virginia officials’ race-conscious drawing of lines for legislative districts.

http://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-puts-gerrymandering-notice-563005

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

The constitution is clear on this matter, state legislatures draw district lines.

[Oceander]

The constitution is clear on this matter, state legislatures draw district lines.

The Constitution is equally clear that the states cannot use their powers to discriminate on the basis of race.  That means they cannot use their power to draw districts to racially gerrymander those districts. 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

The Constitution is equally clear that the states cannot use their powers to discriminate on the basis of race.  That means they cannot use their power to draw districts to racially gerrymander those districts.

The constitution doesn't mention race afaik. They passed a law dealing with districting based on an interpretation of the 14th amendment.