MN: Lawmakers study new districts with mixed reactions

By Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio (St. Paul)

Reverberations from the release of new political maps are still being felt across Minnesota, and especially inside the State Capitol where lawmakers have been scrambling to figure out their new home districts.

MN: New Minn. legislative maps pair 46 incumbents

By The Associated Press, Brainerd Daily Dispatch

Minnesota's new legislative district maps would put 46 legislators in districts with other incumbents and create 23 open seats, but it's unclear whether the map will change the partisan balance in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

NM: Judge proposes NM House redistricting options

By The Associated Press, Santa Fe New Mexican

A state district judge is proposing two options for revamping political districts of the state House of Representatives to comply with directives from New Mexico's highest court.

NY: Federal court won't dismiss redistricting case

By The Associated Press, Times Union (Albany)

A federal appeals court is refusing to dismiss a challenge to redistricting in New York. State legislative leaders have argued that it's too soon to intervene in their constitutionally delegated role in drawing district lines.

OH: Only 3 of 16 districts competitive in new map

By William Hershey, Dayton Daily News

Montgomery and Greene counties are part of something unusual in Ohio — a competitive U.S. House district.

PA: Redistricting panel meets over Pa. assembly maps

By Mark Scolforo, The Associated Press, The Times Leader (Scranton)

The Legislative Reapportionment Commission is preparing to hold its first meeting since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the proposed General Assembly maps based on the 2010 census.

WI: Wis. lawmakers: Law won't let us redraw voter maps 4

By The Associated Press, La Crosse Tribune

Attorneys for Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin on Tuesday said state law prevents them from revisiting new elections maps they passed last year, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already confusing federal trial over whether the maps are constitutional.

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U.S. Supreme Court cases

Redistricting is almost always done with one eye on the courts. Here are six cases that have the biggest impact on today's map-makers.

Baker v. Carr (1962) The Supreme Court rules that redistricting is an appropriate subject for judicial oversight, reversing earlier rulings that had deemed it a “political question” that the courts should avoid.

Reynolds v. Sims (1964) The Court rules that state legislative districts must be roughly equal in population under the "one-person, one-vote" principle and in doing so sets the stage for redistricting to be required after each Census. The same principle applies to U.S. House districts.

Davis v. Bandemer (1986) The Court rules for the first time gerrymandering for a party's electoral advantage is an appropriate subject for judicial oversight, but creates a very high bar for proving that a partisan gerrymander is unconstitutional.

Shaw v. Reno (1993) The Court rules that redistricting plans based primarily on racial considerations deserve strict scrutiny, clarifying the difficult balance that map-drawers must strike: They must consider race in accordance with the Voting Rights Act, but can’t allow it to override all other factors.

Vieth v. Jubelirer (2004) In a 5-4 decision, the Court maintains its reluctance to throw out maps drawn for partisan advantage.

LULAC v. Perry (2006) Ruling on a controversial mid-decade redistricting plan in Texas, the Court says that states are allowed to redraw districts more than once per decade, and continues to reject claims against partisan gerrymandering under its new Chief Justice, John Roberts.

--Josh Goodman

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