Action on partisan gerrymandering by the Supreme Court was already on its last legs with the Gill decision. With Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement, at least now we won’t have to sit around wondering what will happen next. To tell the truth, he seemed so passive this term. Stayed with the conservatives on every decision, and […]
Entries from June 27th, 2018
Can Open Data Save Redistricting Reform?
June 26th, 2018, 7:40am by Sam Wang
In light of the recent rulings on partisan and racial gerrymandering from the Supreme Court, it’s time for reformers to go to the trenches. A magic bullet in the form of a ruling from the Supremes would have been great, but I’m not holding my breath. New in The American Prospect, Ben Williams, John O’Neill, […]
Tags: Redistricting
Texas successfully runs out the clock – and sets an ominous standard
June 25th, 2018, 11:09am by Sam Wang
First, the partisan-gerrymandering news. The North Carolina case, Rucho v. Common Cause, was sent back for reconsideration (“vacate and remand”) in light of the Court’s decision in Gill v. Whitford. Retrying Rucho would take a while, so hopefully they will find a faster way. Now, to racial gerrymandering. In the last redistricting case of this […]
Tags: Redistricting · Supreme Court
Both Sides Now
June 20th, 2018, 6:06pm by Sam Wang
Although I wasn’t thrilled to see the Supreme Court kick the can down the road, the Roberts decision and the Kagan concurrence are quite clarifying, logically speaking. These justices have, in some ways, sorted things out nicely.
Tags: Redistricting · Supreme Court
Kicking the can down the road
June 18th, 2018, 10:33am by Sam Wang
From the opinion (click image to get whole decision):The Supreme Court has opinions on Gill v. Whitford and Benisek v. Lamone. First, the good news: the Court likes our math! The bad news: they think it answered a First Amendment claim, and they decided this was a Fourteenth Amendment case. Major points, in short: They […]
Tags: Redistricting
The Princeton Gerrymandering Project is expanding!
June 1st, 2018, 11:20pm by Sam Wang
Anyone interested in containing partisan gerrymanders is waiting for several major decisions from the Supreme Court this month. But no matter which way those decisions go, the next stage of reform will be local. For this reason, my team at the Princeton Gerrymandering Project is making plans to expand our research efforts, which bridge mathematics and […]
Tags: Princeton · Redistricting · Supreme Court
