Judges want maps, arguments in redistricting case in two weeks

[PDittie]

Judges Higginbotham, Rosenthal, and Ward ain't foolin' around. The Lone Star Project has it:

The three-judge Federal District Court has issued an order and provided a schedule for determining a remedy in response to the recently released opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court on Texas redistricting.

July 14, 2006 - All parties (plaintiffs and defendants) required to file remedial proposals including briefs and proposed maps.

July 21, 2006 - responses to remedial proposals must be filed.

August 3, 2006 - 9:00 a.m. - Oral arguments on proposals before the three-judge panel in Austin, Texas

And with a 60-day DOJ review for any plan approved, the Chronic says that means a special election. In November.

How does that work exactly?

Do the people elected in a special get to serve a regular two-year term? Do Cuellar and Doggett draw Republican challengers -- or for that matter, Democratic ones?

Holy shit, Batman.

[redqueen]

1. Wow...

This oughtta be interesting, to say the least. I wouldn't expect they'd get a two-year term, but the way things are going, who knows?

[WolverineDG]

2. WTF?

Oh sure, let's confuse voters in Southwest Texas, why don't we? (although it would be nice to see a real Dem take Cuellar's seat...heh heh)

dg

[niccolos_smile]

3. According to Texas Weekly...

this has happened before, in 1996. Apparently the court redrew the lines in 13 districts, tossed the primary results and held a special election - three of which ended in runoffs. This would mean that the three judge panel would be in charge of the remap, rather than calling a special session for a remap.

Here's a list of the run-off elections:
http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe

And here's the list of the 1996 Special Election:
http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe

[niccolos_smile]

4. After some research...

In the 1996 special elections, only three seats changed hands.

CD 5: In 1994 CD 5 was held by Bryant(D); in 1996 Sessions (R) won that seat.

CD 8: In 1994 CD 5 was held by Fields(R); in 1996 it was one by Brady(R)

CD 9: In 1994 CD 9 was held by Stockman(R); in 1996 it was won by Lampson(D)

In the 1998 general elections, none of the thirteen seats changed hands.

[PDittie]

5. This is possible, and '96 appears to be the model

for getting it done. The schedule we're on apparently is two weeks ahead of 1996. Two excerpts from Charles Kuffner:

So the new map was in place on August 6, 1996, which is two to three weeks earlier than what we'd expect for this year. Based on that, I feel comfortable saying that we'll have a new map in time for the November election. At the very least, I believe that anyone who is even considering a candidacy in one of the to-be-redrawn districts ought to operate on that assumption.

and

If we assume that it takes this three-judge panel the same amount of time to decide on a map as it took in 2001, then the new districts will be in place by about August 23. I believe this is sufficient time to set a filing deadline in early September, which would give about two months (which is to say, about as long as a normal primary) for the campaign.

Go read the entire entry and tell me we're not going to have a free-for-all in some of these open primaries.