On The Docket 04/22/2022

Happy Friday!

Welcome to our weekly newsletter! You may notice it looks a little different, but no worries — updated format, same informative content.

This week, we’re giving you the rundown of important redistricting news out of Florida and Wisconsin. Plus, don’t miss a guest essay from Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D).

Florida’s New Maps and the Impact of Redistricting Reforms

“It’s amazing to me how this governor has consolidated power into one human being. I mean, why even have one legislative branch?” decried U.S. Rep. Charlie Christ (D-Fla.) as the Florida Legislature held its special session this week. The Legislature, which originally passed maps vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), has now buckled and allowed him to take the lead.

DeSantis’ congressional map increases the number of Republican-held seats and completely dismantles the Black-performing 5th District. Both the House and Senate passed the map on party line votes yesterday, which now awaits DeSantis’ signature. We have all the updates from the Sunshine State here. [link removed]

Over the last decade, many states adopted reforms changing how congressional redistricting is done. But enacting a reform is one thing, and successfully producing a fair map is entirely another. In “Does Redistricting Reform Lead to Fair Maps?,” we look at the impact of these reforms in six states. [link removed]

What Happened in Wisconsin?

Last Friday, two distinct orders came out of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. First, the court denied an emergency application from Republicans challenging the adopted congressional map, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last month. The congressional map proposed by Gov. Tony Evers (D) will stay in place. [link removed]

However, the court selected new state Senate and Assembly maps proposed by the Republican Legislature. The state Supreme Court initially chose least-change maps proposed by Evers, but, in an exceptional move, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out those maps in March. In the 2010 redistricting cycle, Republicans drew partisan gerrymanders creating outsized majorities in the state Senate and Assembly. Now, this skew is further entrenched. [link removed]

AND MORE:
After a New York appellate court heard oral arguments on Wednesday in a lawsuit challenging New York’s maps, the court ruled yesterday that the congressional map unfairly benefits Democrats and violates the state constitution. Lawmakers now have until April 30 to create a new congressional map. On the legislative front, the court of appeals disagreed with the lower court’s ruling blocking the maps and reinstated the legislative districts. [link removed]

A judge refused to block New Mexico’s congressional map, leaving the map in place for the 2022 elections while litigation continues. [link removed]

Ohio has until May 28! Federal judges will order the use of Ohio legislative maps struck down by the state court for gerrymandering if new districts are not in place by that date. The redistricting commission has until May 6 to send revised maps to the Ohio Supreme Court. [link removed]

The Republican Election Law That Could Bankrupt Our Elections

On April 1, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed a law banning elections offices in the state from accepting private donations or grants. Mississippi joins a growing number of Republican-controlled states that have enacted bans on private money in elections. But rather than make our elections more secure, these bans increase the risk that our elections are underfunded. Read more here. [link removed]

SPOTLIGHT: We Must Meet the Fight for Voting Rights at the State Level

By Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D). Read more ➡️ [link removed]

What We’re Doing

Oklahoma, then Kentucky, then Florida. In quick succession last week, these states enacted egregious new restrictions on abortions. The 19th News compiled what happened and why now (hint: red states are preparing to restrict access as much as possible ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this summer). Read more coverage here.
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Local abortion funds are helping individuals reach the access they need. Donate here:
Roe Fund in Oklahoma [link removed]
Kentucky Health Justice Network [link removed]
Florida Abortion Funds [link removed]
Yellowhammer Fund in Alabama and Mississippi [link removed]
Texas Abortion Funds [link removed]

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