General Discussion

riversedge

(70,475 posts) Mon Jun 29, 2015, 04:29 PM Jun 2015

Supreme Court’s Arizona Redistricting Ruling a Major Victory for Voters

Supreme Court’s Arizona Redistricting Ruling a Major Victory for Voters https://www.brennancenter.org/press-release/supreme-court-arizona-redistricting-ruling-major-victory-voters#.VZGmQuLKSr4.twitter

For Immediate Release
Monday, June 29, 2015 - 11:45am
Brennan Center for Justice
Contact:

Erik Opsal, erik.opsal@nyu.edu, 646-292-8356
Supreme Court’s Arizona Redistricting Ruling a Major Victory for Voters
WASHINGTON -

In a 5-4 ruling today, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission upheld an Arizona ballot initiative, adopted by voters in 2000, which took redistricting power away from elected politicians and gave it to a nonpartisan commission.

The Court’s ruling allows redistricting commissions to remain in place across the country. The decision also leaves intact dozens of other election laws enacted by ballot initiative, legislative referendum, or constitutional amendment. See the Brennan Center’s interactive map detailing the kind of measures that were at risk.

“This decision reaffirms the people’s authority to rein in self-dealing legislators,” said Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, which submitted an amicus brief in the case. “The Constitution is not a barrier to states who want to address the problem of partisan gerrymandering.”

“Today’s ruling is a big win for voters because it validates the power of citizens to use the ballot box to combat dysfunction,” said Michael Li, counsel at the Center. “By leaving in place important redistricting reforms in Arizona and California, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the principle that voters have the freedom under the Constitution to experiment with ways to make their democracy work better.”.......

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Supreme Court’s Arizona Redistricting Ruling a Major Victory for Voters (Original Post) riversedge Jun 2015 OP

Yes, this is a big one. I mean let's be honest, the House of Reps would NEVER be in control randys1 Jun 2015 #1

But it's still up to states to choose this, isn't it? MoonRiver Jun 2015 #2

yes, it is up the legislature.... riversedge Jun 2015 #5

SCOTUS really ate their Wheaties this week (nt) Recursion Jun 2015 #3

Oh thank god JonLP24 Jun 2015 #4

randys1

(16,286 posts)

1. Yes, this is a big one. I mean let's be honest, the House of Reps would NEVER be in control

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Mon Jun 29, 2015, 04:32 PM

Jun 2015

by the right EVER again if gerrymandering wasnt off the deep end.

MoonRiver

(36,926 posts)

2. But it's still up to states to choose this, isn't it?

Reply to randys1 (Reply #1)

Mon Jun 29, 2015, 04:34 PM

Jun 2015

GOP controlled state houses aren't going to give up that power. Gerrymandering needs to be outlawed.

riversedge

(70,475 posts)

5. yes, it is up the legislature....

Reply to MoonRiver (Reply #2)

Mon Jun 29, 2015, 06:33 PM

Jun 2015

at least in WI it is--and since controlled by Republicans-Democrats can not even get a bill considered. Dems in WI want redistricting changed to "the Iowa model"--which as far as I can tell has similarities to Arizona.

But perhaps with this AZ ruling--it can be a ballot initiative. We will see. I will have to keep my eyes open to see if it affects WI.

....

February 19, 2014
Money & Politics Column

http://wisconsinwatch.org/2014/02/redistricting-issue-isnt-going-away/

Redistricting issue isn’t going away
By Bill Lueders

Bill Lueders, director of the Center's Money & Politics Project, writes a weekly column.

See his archive of past columns.

Few legislative causes have drawn as much interest and as little traction as redistricting — the drawing of new voter boundaries after each 10-year census.

The Republicans who control the state Legislature have rebuffed pressure to hold hearings on bills, AB 185 and SB 163, to shift responsibility for this task from politicians to the Legislative Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan state service agency.

And so, two of the bill’s main backers, Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, and Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, on Feb. 10 held a “public meeting” in a packed room at the state Capitol.

Among those appearing, via Skype, was Ed Cook, legal counsel for Iowa’s Legislative Service Agency, which has run nonpartisan redistricting in that state since 1981. He said the process “has really stood the test of time” and proven popular.

Recursion

(56,582 posts)

3. SCOTUS really ate their Wheaties this week (nt)

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Mon Jun 29, 2015, 04:36 PM

Jun 2015

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)

4. Oh thank god

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Mon Jun 29, 2015, 06:21 PM

Jun 2015

I was thinking they 'fixed' something. This has been a very significant improvement and congressional districts across the board are so fair across the US.

The idea here was to have districts that were competitive but fair to the interests of the neighborhoods in the process. My former district was the small section of West Mesa stretch out across the whole Fountain Hills area. Just a whole bunch of rural land with a small section which represents Russell Pearce's former Senate District. Back-to-back an openly bisexual none religion woman one of the poorest members of the House who was a former Green who worked on Ralph Nader's campaign, once referred to herself as a "Prada Socialist" won back-to-back races with the Rove money pouring heavily into it & the ugliest campaigns I've seen. However, she has had recent pro Wall Street votes so I think she is concerned about feature elections & the heavy money that pours into her races. It is a swing district with a partisan index of R+1

Reply to this discussion