The Business Press – June 27, 2023 at 10:44PM
The Supreme Court has upheld a North Carolina ruling, which stated that a congressional districting plan violated state law due to being excessively partisan. The court ruled 6-3 and rejected the conservative argument that state legislatures should be left unchecked in federal elections. The decision confirmed that state courts retain the ability to apply state constitutional restraints to legislative actions. Although, federal courts must continue to exercise judicial review. Critics of this view, known as the independent legislature theory, argued that North Carolina Republican’s bid to have a congressional district drawn in their favor would have longstanding implications for federal and state elections, especially when considering the political polarization in the country.
The North Carolina case did not have any significant practical effects as a new Republican majority already undid the redistricting decision. However, this marks a notable achievement in the fight to invalidate gerrymandering of districts to favor a political party. In examining the case, the question before the court was whether the U.S Constitution provision, allowing state legislatures to make rules for congressional elections, eliminates state courts in the process. The Supreme Court indicated there might be limits on state court efforts to police elections for Congress and the President. The decision also leaves the door open for other gerrymandering cases to be taken up, such as the Ohio redistricting case.
The outcome of the case is significant as it acknowledges the role of state courts in overseeing legislative actions and gives further recognition to their constitutional constraints. Although the case solely focused on the North Carolina district plan, it may serve as a catalyst for more legal challenges to the practice of drawing congressional district maps that are in favor of one political party over another. In short, this Supreme Court ruling sets an essential precedent in preserving the integrity of congressional districts, which is directly linked to the legitimacy and integrity of American democracy.
The Business Press 