BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A federal court decision blocking Texas from using its newly drawn congressional map for next year's midterm elections has sparked questions about whether California's recently approved redistricting changes could face similar legal challenges.
The Texas ruling serves as an indicator of how courts may approach redistricting disputes moving forward, according to political scientist Ian Anderson. However, California's situation differs significantly from Texas due to the voter-approved nature of its redistricting process.
"What we just saw happen in Texas is a gauge on how the courts may rule on this going forward, but it's something we're going to have to really watch," Anderson said. "The big caveat with California, which is different in Texas, is that these legislative maps were put on the ballot for the citizens of California to vote on, and they did pass that. So I think that is going to be one of the legal questions that comes down when the courts inevitably review the Proposition 50 maps."
Proposition 50, the voter-approved measure that redraws congressional maps in California, passed with public support. However, Anderson cautioned that voter approval doesn't guarantee protection from legal challenges.
"Because Proposition 50 was passed doesn't mean that it can't be challenged by the court," Anderson said. "So this is like really like kind of civics 101, right? Separations of powers, just because this was passed by the voters, there's it could be the legal review of this, right? Same thing that we saw in Texas, right? The courts came in and said, no, we disagree with this. Of course, this will probably end up in the Supreme Court."
The key difference between the two states lies in their redistricting processes. Texas relies on legislators to redraw congressional maps, while California has used a citizens commission for the past decade to handle redistricting duties.
"Texas does not have a citizens's redistricting commission. Their legislators actually will redraw those maps," Anderson said. "California is different because we have, for the last decade, a citizens commission that's supposed to draw these maps."
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