Redistricting

I will be stepping down in a few weeks after 15 years as the League’s executive director. I am confident that the League will continue its work to make American democracy as good as the ideals on which the country was founded.

The League joined national civil rights, voting rights, labor and criminal justice organizations in submitting comments to the Census Bureau asking that incarcerated persons be counted at their home address, rather than the prison facility they occupy on census day. The League believes that if the Census Bureau modified its residence rule with respect to incarcerated persons, all states and localities will have the opportunity to more accurately and equitably reflect the incarcerated population in their redistricting plans.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a big victory for citizen-led democracy. In a 5-4 decision in Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, the Court found that voters can set up independent redistricting commissions.

Today, the Court rejected the Arizona legislature's argument that only they can conduct federal redistricting under the U.S. Constitution.

The League’s advocacy work in the courts, just like our lobbying in Congress and with the Executive, builds our influence in the political process.

The League joined an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.

This article originally appeared in The News & Observer.By Anne Blythe

Voter discrimination cannot be tolerated in the 21st century. That's why we're pushing Congress to pass the Voting Rights Amendment Act, a flexible, modern answer to the problem of discrimination in voting.

Like the Florida League, Leagues across the country are seeking solutions to the issue of redistricting and gerrymandered Congressional districts.