Briana Koeneman
Court Rules Texas' Gerrymandering Diminished Minority Voting Power
Judges ruled that Texas Republicans changed voting districts with "impermissible intent to dilute minority voting strength."
LEARN MOREJune 19, 2017
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that could fundamentally change how voting district lines are drawn.
On Monday, the court said it will take up a case from Wisconsin over whether partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional.
Gerrymandering is the process of drawing district lines to give one group an advantage over another.
The Supreme Court has condemned the practice when it negatively affects minority votes. But it hasn't struck down politically drawn district lines or offered clear guidance on how much political influence is too much.
But this new case might give the high court a chance to finally shed some light on the issue.
A panel of three federal judges ruled last year that Wisconsin lawmakers unconstitutionally drew district lines to benefit Republicans.
The state appealed, and in the Supreme Court's decision to hear the case, the justices put a stay on the lower court's ruling. The court will hear the case when its new term starts in October.
