State courts become battlegrounds in redistricting fights | TheHill

In Virginia, the state Supreme Court approved new district boundary lines drawn by a pair of court-appointed special masters, one nominated by each party, after the state’s new redistricting commission failed to reach consensus.ADVERTISEMENTgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display("dfp-ad-incontent_desk_1");}); In North Carolina, a three-judge panel rejected claims by Democrats and voting rights advocates that the state’s new Republican-drawn congressional district lines were unconstitutional gerrymanders. “In his opinion, Justice Roberts mentioned state courts as an avenue for addressing partisan gerrymandering,” said Rebecca Green, co-director of the Election Law Program at William & Mary Law School.ADVERTISEMENTgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display("dfp-ad-incontent_desk_2");}); In the last several months, Democrats and Republicans have filed lawsuits in at least nine state courts challenging congressional or legislative district lines and the process by which those responsible for redistricting came to their decisions. “They know that the courts are not favorable given the huge number of Trump appointees that have reshaped the federal courts.” Attorneys backing each party can still use federal courts to challenge redistricting decisions on certain grounds, including potential violations of the Voting Rights Act. Cases are pending in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Montana, Virginia and Louisiana.ADVERTISEMENTgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display("dfp-ad-incontent_desk_3");}); In Texas alone, the federal Justice Department, Democrats and minority groups have filed ten separate federal lawsuits challenging legislative and congressional district lines.