Supreme Court Hears the League's Landmark Redistricting Case

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a set of three redistricting cases that could result in ending partisan gerrymandering across the nation. Rucho v. League of Women Voters North Carolina, along with its companion cases, asserts that partisan gerrymandering by both major parties violated voters' rights.

"The Court now has a huge opportunity to declare that, once and for all, politicians cannot choose their voters--voters must be free to choose who they want to represent them," said Virginia Kase, CEO of the League of Women Voters. "Banning partisan gerrymandering would make huge strides in restoring voters' faith in the electoral process. Voters must know their votes make a real difference and that they are not just used as pawns in a political game."

After North Carolina's 2011 maps were found to be unconstitutional, the League of Women Voters stepped in.

"We sued on behalf of all North Carolinians who were denied an opportunity to have a meaningful election in 2016 because of unfair maps," said Janet Hoy, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina. "Today's hearing at the Supreme Court is the first step for the League of Women Voters to 'make good' on the fight for fair maps."

The League of Women Voters has worked closely with partner organization Common Cause, whose case will be argued alongside Rucho v. LWVNC. Both cases include First and Fourteen Amendment claims and ask the Supreme Court to affirm the lower court decision, which applied a three-part test in determining that the maps were unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders.

"Rucho v. Common Cause is the most egregious partisan gerrymander the Supreme Court has ever seen," said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause. "The Court needs to be on the right side of history and stop politicians from infringing on the people's right to freely choose their representatives through voting."

The League of Women Voters has actively opposed gerrymandering in states around the country. Along with the LWV North Carolina's role as plaintiff in the Rucho case, LWV Maryland joined as amicus on the Benisek v. Lamone case out of Maryland. The League is hopeful that the Court's decision, expected in June, will create clarity about when the redistricting process is unconstitutional.