July 28: Holder/Elias SCOTUS Call + Recent Redistricting News
Good Afternoon!
On Thursday, July 28th at 1:00pm ET, please join the National Democratic Redistricting Committee's Chairman Eric Holder + Democracy Docket and Elias Law Group Founder Marc Elias for a Zoom meeting to discuss the Independent State Legislature Theory - a fringe theory that is being used to challenge fair maps in North Carolina in the case Moore v. Harper. Moore, a lawsuit supported by the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF - the NDRC's 501c3 affiliate), will be taken up by the Supreme Court in its next term and the ruling could have the effect of giving state legislatures almost unchecked power to control congressional redistricting and federal election administration. This case is arguably the most consequential case for our democracy that will be before the Supreme Court next term.
You can register for the Zoom here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-6QXAiYMS52Ayi8EsCwzkQ
Please read on below for some additional redistricting updates. As always, if you have any questions about any aspect of our work, please let me know.
Missy
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MERRILL V. CASTER - NRF-SUPPORTED CASE OUT OF ALABAMA
Another consequential case for our democracy will also be before the Supreme Court next term: Merrill v. Caster. Last week, plaintiffs supported by the NRF submitted their merits brief to the Supreme Court in the case, asking the Court to affirm a previous ruling from a federal district court that found that Alabama’s new congressional map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The NRF is proud to be supporting Alabama voters in this crucial legal challenge to bring electoral fairness to the state.
AG HOLDER TRAVELS TO MICHIGAN
This fall, the NDRC will be aggressively supporting candidates who are critical defenders of our democracy, including those who have helped us make great strides in the fight for fair maps. With all the attacks on our democracy, they need our support more than ever. AG Holder, who will be supporting key candidates on the campaign trail, kicked off our midterm election travel with a trip to Michigan last week to support Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The AG participated in a voter protection round table, and fired up volunteers in Ann Arbor. You can read more about it here.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
-Alabama: Plaintiffs urge U.S. Supreme Court to reject Alabama’s congressional map
Highlights:
“The justices have scheduled oral arguments for Oct. 4 on the question of whether the state’s map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voting procedures that discriminate on the basis of race.”
In a statement, Marina Jenkins, Director of Litigation and Policy for the NRF said, “The state’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court arises not out of a genuine belief that the judges below got it wrong, but from a crass desire to simply change the law because Alabama’s political leaders don’t like the outcome of its application. Black voters in Alabama deserve a congressional map that provides them an equal opportunity to exercise their voting power.”
