A new Supreme Court case could make it nearly impossible to stop racial gerrymanders

[turbinetree]

The Court takes up its first big redistricting case since Republicans gained a 6-3 supermajority. What could go wrong?

By Ian Millhiser Feb 1, 2022, 8:30am EST

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The Supreme Court is likely to hand down a decision soon in Merrill v. Milligan, a case where the worst-case scenario for democracy would neutralize one of the few remaining prongs of the Voting Rights Act that the Court has not yet dismantled.

The case concerns Alabama’s new congressional districts, and whether they violate the Voting Rights Act’s prohibitions on racial gerrymanders. Days before the state of Alabama asked the justices to carve another chunk out of America’s voting rights laws, a three-judge panel ordered the state of Alabama to redraw its congressional maps. Notably, two of the judges on this panel were appointed by former President Donald Trump.

Among other things, the panel’s opinion in Singleton v. Merrill explains that Black Americans make up about 27 percent of Alabama’s population, but they would only have a real shot of electing their candidate of choice in one of the state’s seven congressional districts under the new map based on the 2020 census. Thus, while Black Alabamans represent more than a quarter of the state’s population, they only control 14 percent of the state’s congressional delegation.

https://www.vox.com/2022/2/1/22910909/supreme-court-racial-gerrymander-alabama-merrill-singleton-milligan

Well Gorsuch is going to be in Florida at a Federalist Society meeting that is going to bar the press to find out what this jerk is going to do....maybe he will speak about this case.....after all he really has no principles......that he has to go to some invite that bars the press..... .

[Lovie777]

1. Damn shame . ...

but remember, this can work both ways.

[ColinC]

2. How so?

Like in democratic states it will be easier to gerrymander in their favor without needing to consider the VRA requirements?

[dem4decades]

3. Dead Democracy Walking.

or Haley Joel Osment would say - I see dead democracies, and Bruce Willis is our democracy. Going through the motions not realizing he's already gone.