Texas' house maps - drawn in 2013 - are being challenged in the federal courts. Minority groups argue that the districts are drawn to diminish their voting strength, which would be a violation of the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. The paper reports that the panel of judges that are reviewing the accusation will allow the 2016 elections to be competed on the basis of those districts. This does not mean that they will not ultimately rule that the districts are unconstitutional.
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A three-judge panel in San Antonio on Friday rejected a motion to temporarily block a set of redistricting maps passed by the Legislature in 2013 for Congress and the Texas House. Litigation on the maps remains pending, as civil rights groups claim they discriminate against minorities. The three-judge panel said it has not reached a final decision and that the current boundaries are being “used on an interim basis only.”
However, the court made clear it has no intention to tweak the maps before the upcoming March primaries — a move that will avoid a repeat of 2012 when redistricting map litigation threw the election cycle into disarray and caused the primaries to be delayed from March to May. The ruling eases fears of Texas getting bumped from the "Super Tuesday" slate of March primaries. “The 2016 elections will proceed as scheduled, without interruption or delay,” the court wrote.
Roll Call reports that similar accusations are being made for the maps in five other states:
- 5 Congressional Maps That Redistricting Could Change for 2016.
Governing Magazine points out how these disputes will impact the 2016 election nationally. Two states - at least - already have to redraw their districts:
- How the Never-Ending Battle of Redistricting Will Impact 2016.
