The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 30, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear a Louisiana redistricting case with repercussions for minority voters around the country. It could further dismantle the 1965 Voting Rights Act Section 2.

Louisiana’s legislature drew its six Congressional districts, including only one as a majority-minority Black district. It ignored the fact that Louisiana’s population is almost 33% Black.

A federal district court found that the legislature intentionally drew the districts to dilute Black voting power, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new map.  The legislature, under pressure from the courts and the Governor, created a map in January 2024, adding a second long and narrow majority-minority district. Last summer, a group of mostly white voters sued, claiming that using “race predominance” cannot be the main factor when drawing a district.

After initially refusing the case, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in early 2025.  Justice Alito consistently signals that the Voting Rights Act should be race-neutral, while Justice Jackson points out that the VRA was intended to provide a level playing field for minority voters.  Until the Roberts court’s 2019 Shelby County decision, Louisiana was required by the U.S. Justice Department to pre-clear all election laws due to its history of voting rights discrimination.

We have more on the case at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

U.S. Justice Department – Brief for LOUISIANA v.  CALLAIS
American Democracy Minute –  (May 2024) U.S. Supreme Court Stays 5th Circuit, Allowing Louisiana’s Fairer Congressional Maps – Apparently Invoking the Purcell Principle
American Democracy Minute – (May 2024)  The Federal 5th Circuit Backtracks on Louisiana Congressional Maps, Throwing Out New Map Which Gave Black Voters & Candidates a Chance
American Democracy Minute – (Jan. 2024) Louisiana Legislature Hashes Out New Court-Ordered Congressional Maps with Two Majority Black Districts
American Democracy Minute – (Nov. 2023) Appeals Court (Finally) Finds Louisiana Congressional Map was Discriminatory; Orders New Maps to Be Drawn by January 15
American Democracy Minute – (June 2022) Federal Appeals Court Forces New Congressional Map in Louisiana 

Groups Taking Action:

Power Coalition for Equity and Justice,  ACLU of Louisiana

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VRA #VotingRightsAct #RacialGerrymandering

The post What’s Ahead for 2025:  VRA Majority Minority Voting Districts at Risk in Louisiana Redistricting Case at the U.S. Supreme Court appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 18, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Racing the clock, the Louisiana legislature meets this week to hash out new court-ordered Congressional voting districts, with two of them being majority Black.  They’re also considering new state supreme court districts.

In November 2023, the Fifth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals ordered Louisiana’s legislature to draw new Congressional maps. In a state with an almost one-third African American population, Black voters demanded that they be given a second district to elect the candidate of their choice under the Voting Rights Act Section 2.  Currently, only one of six Congressional districts is majority Black. GOP leaders attempted to block the decision, but ultimately were given until January 31 to pass new maps.

The Louisiana Illuminator reports newly sworn-in Governor Jeff Landry, a supporter of the current maps as attorney general, told the legislature it was out of legal options, and to pass new Congressional AND state supreme court maps with two majority-Black districts.  The state supreme court districts in Louisiana have been litigated for decades.

Both maps passed out of their committees Tuesday.  In calling the special session, Gov. Landry also asked the legislature to close the state’s primaries by prohibiting unaffiliated and third-party voters from participating, unless the parties decide to allow it. 

The maps must be adopted before the end of the special session, January 23rd.  

We have links to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute – Appeals Court (Finally) Finds Louisiana Congressional Map was Discriminatory; Orders New Maps to Be Drawn by January 15
Democracy Docket – 5th Circuit Sets Timeline for New Louisiana Congressional Map Ahead of 2024 Elections
Louisiana Illuminator – Both parties push for Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district
Louisiana Illuminator – Map with 2nd Black Louisiana Supreme Court district clears House committee
Associated Press – Proposed Louisiana congressional map, with second majority-Black district, advances
Louisiana Illuminator – How Gov. Jeff Landry is proposing to ‘close’ Louisiana’s primaries

Groups Taking Action:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU Louisiana,  Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRightsAct #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering  #lalege #lagov

The post Louisiana Legislature Hashes Out New Court-Ordered Congressional Maps with Two Majority Black Districts appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 20, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

In 2014, a New York constitutional amendment created the New York Independent Redistricting Commission.  But the redistricting commission lacked both independence and authority, and the 2021 maps ended up in the legislature and ultimately the courts.  The Congressional map was in court again last week.

New York’s commission was set up with 10 members:  2 appointed by the assembly speaker; 2 by the assembly minority Leader, 2 by the senate president, and 2 by the senate minority leader.  Two other nonpartisan members are chosen by the other 8.  The commission, however, is only advisory. The Assembly can vote down Commission maps twice, then must create its own.   

On its inaugural run, the commission deadlocked. When Democrats took control of both houses of the legislature, it rejected both maps drawn by the commission, and drew its own gerrymandered maps.  Republicans sued, and a court-appointed special master drew the maps used in the 2022 midterms, giving Republicans four additional seats in Congress.

November 5th, a seven-judge panel heard an appeal claiming the redistricting commission didn’t fulfill its constitutional duty, and must be allowed to redraw the maps.  The decision, expected shortly, could impact the balance of the U.S. House.   Could this mess have been avoided?  We’ll describe California’s successful approach in our next report.

We have more on New York’s ill fated redistricting process at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Politico – New York court hears arguments to redraw the state’s congressional maps in 2024
Spectrum News – As New York redistricting maps again head to Court of Appeals, a recap of how we got here
Democracy Docket – Will New York Have A New Congressional Map For 2024?
Princeton Gerrymandering Project – Compare Different Versions Drawn by the Redistricting Commission, State Legislature & Special Master
FiveThirtyEight – Competitiveness of New York’s Congressional Map
Brennan Center for Justice – What Went Wrong with New York’s Redistricting

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause NY, League of Women Voters NY

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering #NewYorkPolitics

The post Will an Appeal Give New York’s Bipartisan Redistricting Committee Another Chance to Draw Fair Maps? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 18, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links now below the script

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Thursday, a New York state appeals court ordered a redrawing of the state’s Congressional districts.  The next day, the U.S. Supreme Court set a date for a South Carolina case which could greenlight MORE gerrymandering. 

In 2022, New York’s independent redistricting commission couldn’t reach an agreement on new maps, and a Democratic legislature gerrymandered maps favoring Democrats.  Republicans appealed and the Democratic maps were thrown out in March 2023, replaced by maps drawn by a county judge which ended up favoring Republicans in the midterm election.  

Democracy Docket reports that a five judge panel found the independent redistricting commission had submitted only one of the two proposals mandated before the lower court judge preempted its work.   While the appeals court ruled the independent commission should submit new maps, the decision is expected to be challenged again in New York’s highest court before the 2024 election.

The U.S. Supreme Court has announced a date of October 11th, 2023 for Alexander v. the South Carolina NAACP.  This closely-watched case has elements of both racial gerrymandering, which the court ruled against in the Milligan decision, and partisan gerrymandering, to which the U.S. Supreme Court has turned a blind eye since 2019.   It could provide legal cover for future manipulation of voting district maps.

We have more on each of the cases at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
NPR – (2022) New York’s top court rejects congressional maps drawn by Democrats
Democracy Docket – New York Court Orders Redraw of Congressional Map. How Did We Get Here?
Politico – Mid-level court hands Democrats victory in New York redistricting case

State of New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division – Decision in HOFFMANN v. NEW YORK STATE INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION

Groups Taking Action:
Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause NY, Campaign Legal Center

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #NYPolitics

The post New York Court Sends Congressional Redistricting Map Back to Independent Commission; SCOTUS Sets Date to Consider South Carolina Congressional Map appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for June 15, 2023

Today’s Script: 

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links now below the script

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

We reported Monday on the U.S. Supreme Court’s surprise 5-4 decision, upholding Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and throwing out Alabama’s racially gerrymandered Congressional voting district maps.  More maps could fall.   

The high court found in Allen v. Milligan that the Alabama legislature intentionally manipulated voting district maps to dilute African American voting power despite having regions meeting the criteria for a second majority-Black district.  

As a result of that decision, an appeal was filed June 12th in an Arkansas case, Simpson v. Hutchinson, dismissed by a three-judge federal panel just last month as not an intentional racial gerrymander.  Democracy Docket reports that a group of Arkansas voters argues that the state legislature “cracked” the 2nd Congressional district to dilute the Black vote in Little Rock and Pulaski County.  The suit also cites Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and violations of the 14th and 15th Amendment. The appeal goes directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Waiting in the SCOTUS wings is another case in Louisiana, paused in 2022 by the court.  It’s an even stronger case than Alabama. Louisiana is 31% African American, yet has only one majority Black district out of six.  It could also result in another overturned map.  There are 32 cases citing Section 2 violations pending around the U.S.

We have links to the cases, analysis, and groups taking action, at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
U.S. Supreme Court – Allen v. Milligan Decision
– LDF’s Case Challenging Alabama’s Redistricting Maps and Why it Matters
Democracy Docket –  Black Voters Appeal Arkansas Congressional Map Challenge to U.S. Supreme Court
The American Redistricting Project – Simpson v. Thurston (Formerly Simpson v. Hutchinson)
Democracy Docket – (Opinion) Louisiana Gets a Shot at Fair Maps After Supreme Court Ruling in Allen v. Milligan
ProPublica – Voting Maps Throughout the Deep South May Be Redrawn After Surprise Supreme Court Ruling
KUAR – Plaintiffs hope SCOTUS decision in Alabama case bodes well for Arkansas redistricting lawsuits

Groups Taking Action:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund,  ACLU Arkansas, Arkansas Public Policy Panel,  Power Coalition for Equity & Justice, ACLU of Louisiana

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Get ADM Radio Report email!  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #VotingRights

The post Manipulated Voting District Maps May Also Fall in Arkansas & Louisiana After Surprise SCOTUS Decision in Alabama Racial Gerrymandering Case appeared first on American Democracy Minute.