Redistricting

Read a guest blog post by the League of Women Voters of California on their advocacy campaign that resulted in a big win for campaign disclosure.

The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling this week leaves the country vulnerable to the very forms of voter suppression Congress warned of in 2006.

North Carolina Challenge Goes to Court; Affected Hundreds of Voters in 2012

"What Is Issue 2? Issue 2 is a reform effort led by the League of Women Voters, CommonCause Ohio, Ohio Citizen Action, and the NAACP. Issue 2 would take the power over redistricting out of the hands of the politicians and put it in the hands of the people."

“The Republican-crafted ballot language for state Issue 2 would be ‘fatal’ to the proposal and must be rewritten, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled yesterday. ... The high court sided with Voters First, the coalition that includes the League of Women Voters, Democrats and unions. The Republican-dominated high court ruled 6-1 that the Ballot Board’s effort to trim the extensive proposal for redrawing legislative and congressional districts down to five paragraphs contained ‘material omissions and factual inaccuracies.’”

“A lawsuit filed Tuesday contends that Florida lawmakers ignored new rules intended to prevent political parties and incumbents from influencing the once-a-decade process of redistricting....Several individuals and groups including the League of Women Voters maintain that state Senate districts in key parts of the state - including South Florida, the Tampa Bay region and Central Florida - violate standards that were approved by voters.”

“Consider the League of Women Voters valuable study “Shining a Light: Redistricting Lessons Learned in 2011” by reading an introductory article, “New League report details redistricting lessons learned.” I think the League provides WE THE PEOPLE with VERY VALUABLE information and perspective to advocate for REFORM of our redistricting processes in our state. This is, remember, a STATE POWER!”

“In a lengthy, sweeping decision, a federal court in Washington on Tuesday unanimously struck down Texas' new congressional map, ruling that the plan was enacted with "discriminatory purpose" against Hispanics protected under the Voting Rights Act. The ruling will not affect this year's elections, but barring successful appeal, Texas would have to redraw its maps before 2014.”

Ann Henkener, LWV of Ohio board member: ”Voters and taxpayers deserve balance, transparency and accountability any time their tax dollars are being spent. In return for hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent to rig legislative and congressional districts, you received none of the above.”

 “With 750,000 signatures ... the coalition of good-government groups like the League of Women Voters seeking a constitutional amendment to change Ohio’s seriously messed-up system for drawing legislative and congressional districts — is confident that the amendment will be on the ballot this November.”