Tag Archives: Voting Rights Act

Hearing set on new Congressional map

Posted on August 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go A federal judicial panel will hear arguments beginning Oct. 1 for an injunction against the implementation of new congressional boundaries approved by the Texas Legislature. According to three lawyers who were in the El Paso courtroom Wednesday … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, CD09, CD18, CD22, CD27, CD28, CD30, CD32, CD34, CD35, Congress, Election 2026, Greg Abbott, lawsuit, LULAC, MALC, MALDEF, NAACP, National Redistricting Foundation, redistricting, SCOTUS, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 2 Comments

Motion to block implementation of new map filed

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, from the inbox: Today, plaintiffs supported by the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF) filed a preliminary injunction to block the implementation of HB 4, which further gerrymanders the Texas congressional map. After filing a supplemental complaint in the U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, CD09, CD18, CD22, CD27, CD28, CD30, CD32, CD34, CD35, Congress, Election 2026, Greg Abbott, lawsuit, LULAC, MALC, MALDEF, NAACP, National Redistricting Foundation, redistricting, SCOTUS, Senate, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

New legal challenge filed against redistricting map

Posted on August 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Fron the inbox: Today, plaintiffs supported by the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF) initiated a legal challenge against the newly enacted congressional gerrymander in Texas in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, asking the court to strike … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, CD09, CD18, CD22, CD27, CD30, CD35, Congress, Election 2026, Greg Abbott, lawsuit, LULAC, MALC, MALDEF, NAACP, National Redistricting Foundation, redistricting, SCOTUS, Senate, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Motion for expedited review of proposed Congressional map filed

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, on Monday night. Today, the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF) filed a motion in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to ask the court to quickly set a hearing for a preliminary injunction that will … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, CD09, Congress, Election 2024, Election 2026, Greg Abbott, Justice Department, lawsuit, LULAC, MALC, MALDEF, NAACP, National Redistricting Foundation, redistricting, SCOTUS, Senate, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 2 Comments

Second lawsuit filed against Tarrant County over its mid-decade redistricting

Posted on August 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This one has an interesting twist. The League of Women Voters of Tarrant County and the League of United Latin American Citizens are suing Tarrant County, the county’s commissioners court and County Judge Tim O’Hare over its mid-decade districting. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged Alisa Simmons, Census, Commissioners Court, County Judge, Election 2026, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, LULAC, Matt Krause, redistricting, SCOTUS, Tarrant County, Texas, Tim O'Hare, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Fifth Circuit upholds voter ID for vote by mail

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of course they did. A federal appeals court has upheld Texas’ requirement that potential voters must list their identification information in their application for a mail-in ballot. In Texas, voting by mail is only available for certain groups of people, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged absentee ballots, ACLU, Brennan Center, Disability Rights Texas, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Greg Abbott, Harris County, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, OCA Houston, REV UP Texas, SCOTUS, Secretary of State, Texas, The Lege, voter ID, voter suppression, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

If Democrats could gerrymander now in Texas

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

There’s not a lot of news on Day Two of Quorum Break 2025. The session ground to a halt as expected. Greg Abbott shook his fist and threatened to Do Things to the absent Democrats that he does not have … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged California, Congress, Election 2020, Election 2024, Election 2026, Greg Abbott, Illinois, Joe Moody, Kathy Hochul, New York, quorum, redistricting, Texas, The Lege, Tom DeLay, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Tarrant County responds to redistricting lawsuit

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Tarrant County filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by citizens claiming the county engaged in racial gerrymandering when they approved a map with new precinct boundaries on June 3. The motion argues the court … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Alisa Simmons, Commissioners Court, County Judge, Election 2024, Election 2026, lawsuit, Matt Krause, redistricting, SCOTUS, Tarrant County, Texas, Tim O'Hare, Tony Tinderholt, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

The last redistricting hearing

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’re just going through the motions at this point. The Texas redistricting map unveiled this week was drawn for the express purpose of boosting Republican strength in Congress, the House sponsor of the measure said Friday during the first, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Al Green, California, CD07, CD09, CD18, CD23, CD28, CD29, CD32, CD33, CD34, CD35, CD37, Cody Vasut, Congress, Donald Trump, fines, Greg Abbott, Greg Casar, Jasmine Crockett, Julie Johnson, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Lloyd Doggett, New York, Phil King, quorum, redistricting, special session, Texas, The Lege, Todd Hunter, Voting Rights Act | 5 Comments

Friday redistricting roundup

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s take a moment and pour one out for the real victims of the proposed Congressional redistricting, Texas’ Republican Congressional incumbents. Democrats aren’t the only ones who won’t be happy with the way Texas Republicans on Wednesday proposed redrawing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026, That's our Lege | Tagged Al Green, California, CD07, CD09, CD18, CD23, CD28, CD29, CD32, CD33, CD34, CD35, CD37, Cody Vasut, Collin County, Congress, Donald Trump, fines, Greg Abbott, Greg Casar, Jasmine Crockett, Julie Johnson, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Lloyd Doggett, New York, Phil King, quorum, redistricting, special session, Texas, The Lege, Todd Hunter, Voting Rights Act | 9 Comments

And just like that we have a map

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

That sure was fast. Good thing all those hearings are over. Texas GOP lawmakers released their first draft of the state’s new congressional map Wednesday, proposing revamped district lines that attempt to flip five Democratic seats in next year’s midterm … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Al Green, California, Carol Alvarado, CD07, CD09, CD18, CD23, CD28, CD29, CD32, CD33, CD34, CD35, CD37, Cody Vasut, Congress, Donald Trump, fines, Greg Abbott, Greg Casar, Illinois, Jasmine Crockett, Julie Johnson, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Lloyd Doggett, New Mexico, New York, Phil King, quorum, redistricting, special session, Texas, The Lege, Todd Hunter, Tom DeLay, Voting Rights Act | 7 Comments

Redistricting roundup

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

While we wait for maps, we can ponder whether or not there will be a quorum break. As Republicans in Texas move full steam ahead with a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts, Democrats are privately mulling their options, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged California, CD07, CD09, CD18, CD21, CD23, CD28, CD29, CD32, CD33, CD34, CD35, CD37, Cody Vasut, Congress, Donald Trump, fines, Greg Abbott, Greg Casar, Illinois, Jasmine Crockett, Julie Johnson, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Lloyd Doggett, New Mexico, New York, quorum, redistricting, special session, Texas, The Lege, Tom DeLay, Voting Rights Act | 11 Comments

So is there a map yet or not?

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to believe Republicans are flying blind on this. While the Republican redistricting effort is underway in Texas, the fight is on nationally. So, too, is the wait, as political observers – and anxious politicians – hold on for the … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Beto O'Rourke, Borris Miles, CD07, CD09, CD18, CD28, CD29, CD33, CD34, Chris Turner, Cody Vasut, Congress, Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, Greg Casar, Isaiah Martin, Jasmine Crockett, Joaquin Castro, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Phil King, redistricting, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 6 Comments

Still no maps

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s weird. Not unexpected – the Republicans have always loved some secrecy in the redistricting process – but weird. The Texas House’s redistricting committee visited Houston on Saturday to hear out local residents’ concerns on the state Legislature’s plans to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Al Green, Amanda Edwards, Armando Walle, CD07, CD09, CD18, CD29, CD33, Cody Vasut, Congress, Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, Isaiah Martin, Joan Huffman, Jolanda Jones, Justice Department, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Lizzie FLetcher, Marc Veasey, redistricting, Senfronia Thompson, special session, Sylvia Garcia, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Opening look at the re-redistricting effort

Posted on July 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They’re coming for our districts. More than one million Houstonians could have new congressional representation as early as next year under Gov. Greg Abbott’s push to redraw the state’s political maps. Abbott has ordered the Texas Legislature into a special … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026, That's our Lege | Tagged Al Green, Beto O'Rourke, CD02, CD07, CD08, CD09, CD10, CD18, CD22, CD28, CD29, CD33, CD34, CD36, CD38, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2018, Election 2024, Election 2026, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Galveston, Greg Abbott, Justice Department, Kamala Harris, lawsuit, Lizzie FLetcher, MALDEF, precinct analysis, redistricting, SCOTUS, special session, Sylvia Garcia, Ted Cruz, Texas, Voting Rights Act | 3 Comments

Tarrant County plaintiffs amend their complaint

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the Lone Star Project: Attorneys acting on behalf of an expanded list of citizen plaintiffs have amended claims against MAGA County Judge Tim O’Hare and Tarrant County Texas for the adoption of a mid-decade County Commissioners Precinct map that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026, Legal matters | Tagged Alisa Simmons, Commissioners Court, County Judge, Election 2018, Election 2020, Election 2022, Election 2024, Election 2026, Election 2028, Harris County, lawsuit, Matt Krause, redistricting, SCOTUS, Tarrant County, Texas, Tim O'Hare, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

The other redistricting matter

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a story from the Fort Worth Report on the redistricting trial going on in El Paso, with a focus on the effect in Tarrant County. Federal judges in El Paso are reviewing a lawsuit that alleges Texas redistricting architects … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, Alabama, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Pacific Islander Americans Public Affairs Association, Attorney General, Beverly Powell, Congress, Election 2024, Election 2026, Emgage, Fair Maps Texas Action Committee, Greg Abbott, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, LULAC, MALC, NAACP, National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Dallas Section, National Redistricting Foundation, OCA Houston, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, SD10, Senate, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Tarrant county does mid-decade redistricting and gets sued over it

Posted on June 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

First there was this. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court could get a bigger conservative majority next year under a new map passed Tuesday. Republican Commissioners Manny Ramirez, Matt Krause and County Judge Tim O’Hare voted to adopt the map. Democratic … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged Alisa Simmons, Beto O'Rourke, Colin Allred, Commissioners Court, County Judge, Election 2018, Election 2020, Election 2022, Election 2024, Election 2026, Joe Biden, lawsuit, Matt Krause, redistricting, SCOTUS, Tarrant County, Texas, Tim O'Hare, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Long-awaited Texas redistricting trial begins

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Been waiting a long time for this one. Questions over whether Latinos had their voting power diminished in the Dallas area will be a focus of a federal trial in El Paso that begins Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, Al Green, Alabama, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Pacific Islander Americans Public Affairs Association, Attorney General, Congress, Election 2024, Election 2026, Emgage, Fair Maps Texas Action Committee, Greg Abbott, Jasmine Crockett, Justice Department, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, LULAC, MALC, NAACP, National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Dallas Section, National Redistricting Foundation, OCA Houston, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, Senate, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 5 Comments

Spring Branch ID to appeal redistricting verdict

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Spring Branch ISD officials plan to appeal last month’s federal ruling that the district violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by holding at-large elections, the board president said Monday night after an executive session discussion. While awaiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, John Perez, lawsuit, redistricting, SCOTUS, single member districts, Spring Branch, Texas, Virginia Elizondo, Voting Rights Act | 2 Comments

Spring Branch ISD ruled to have violated the Voting Rights Act

Posted on May 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And they are ordered to adopt single-member districts. A federal judge found Spring Branch ISD violated the Voting Rights Act and ordered the west Harris County district to overhaul its system so that the voices of Hispanic voters can be heard, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged John Perez, lawsuit, redistricting, SCOTUS, single member districts, Spring Branch, Texas, Virginia Elizondo, Voting Rights Act | 5 Comments

Some plaintiffs drop out of redistricting litigation

Posted on March 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunate but not unexpected. Two months before a scheduled trial, a coalition of voting rights groups is withdrawing from a long-running challenge to the political maps Texas drew after the 2020 U.S. census, which the groups said diluted the voting power of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Pacific Islander Americans Public Affairs Association, Attorney General, Congress, Election 2024, Election 2026, Emgage, Fair Maps Texas Action Committee, Greg Abbott, Justice Department, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, LULAC, MALC, NAACP, National Council of Jewish Women-Greater Dallas Section, OCA Houston, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, Senate, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Yet another part of the omnibus vote suppression law struck down

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s taken awhile, but I can’t argue with the outcome. A federal judge in San Antonio has ruled that the state of Texas’ ID requirements for mail ballot applications are unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez on Thursday found that … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged absentee ballots, ACLU, Americans with Disabilities Act, Brennan Center, Chris Hollins, curbside voting, Disability Rights Texas, Election 2024, elections administrator, FIEL Houston, Greg Abbott, Harris County, HOPE, Isabel Longoria, Jolt Initiative, Ken Paxton, La Unión Del Pueblo Entero, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, MALDEF, Medina County, Mexican American Bar Association of Texas, OCA Houston, REV UP Texas, Secretary of State, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Texas Impact, Texas Organizing Project, The Lege, voter suppression, Voting Rights Act, Workers Defense Action Fund | Comments Off

Justice Department drops Texas redistricting lawsuit

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. The U.S. Justice Department withdrew from a lawsuit alleging that Texas’ legislative and congressional district maps drawn after the 2020 U.S. census discriminated against Latino and Black voters by denying them an equal opportunity to participate … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Attorney General, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2024, Election 2026, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, filing deadline, Greg Abbott, Justice Department, lawsuit, LULAC, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, special session, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

No observers allowed here

Posted on November 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Tribune: Texas tells U.S. Justice Department that federal election monitors aren’t allowed in polling places. Texas’ top elections official told the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday its election monitors aren’t permitted in the state’s polling places after the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Atascosa County, Bexar County, Dallas County, Election 2024, Frio County, Harris County, Hays County, Jane Nelson, Justice Department, Palo Pinto County, SCOTUS, Secretary of State, Texas, Voting Rights Act, Waller County | 4 Comments

Fifth Circuit pauses vote harvesting injunction

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here they come to do what they do. A federal appeals court has temporarily reinstated portions of Texas’ 2021 voting law regulating ballot handling, ruling that a judge’s previous decision to strike certain rules came too close to the 2024 … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged absentee ballots, ACLU, Americans with Disabilities Act, Brennan Center, Chris Hollins, curbside voting, Disability Rights Texas, Election 2020, Election 2024, elections administrator, FIEL Houston, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Greg Abbott, Harris County, HOPE, Isabel Longoria, Jolt Initiative, Ken Paxton, La Unión Del Pueblo Entero, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, MALDEF, Medina County, Mexican American Bar Association of Texas, OCA Houston, REV UP Texas, Secretary of State, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Texas Impact, Texas Organizing Project, The Lege, voter suppression, Voting Rights Act, Workers Defense Action Fund | Comments Off

More of the omnibus voter suppression bill blocked

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Better (very) late than never. Certain provisions of Texas’ sweeping 2021 voting law that restrict voter assistance violate the federal Voting Rights Act and cannot be enforced, a federal judge in Texas ruled Friday. Among the rules struck down by … Continue reading →

Vote harvesting provision of omnibus voter suppression law SB1 blocked in federal court

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Very timely, even if it took forever to get here. A federal judge ruled on Saturday that part of a Texas law that enacted new voting restrictions violated the U.S. Constitution by being too vague and restricting free speech. The ruling, made by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged absentee ballots, ACLU, Americans with Disabilities Act, Brennan Center, Chris Hollins, curbside voting, Disability Rights Texas, Election 2020, elections administrator, FIEL Houston, Greg Abbott, Harris County, HOPE, Isabel Longoria, Jolt Initiative, Ken Paxton, La Unión Del Pueblo Entero, lawsuit, League of Women Voters, MALDEF, Medina County, Mexican American Bar Association of Texas, OCA Houston, REV UP Texas, Secretary of State, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Texas Impact, Texas Organizing Project, The Lege, voter suppression, Voting Rights Act, Workers Defense Action Fund | 1 Comment

Spring Branch ISD single member district lawsuit trial concludes

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Now we wait. The federal trial between Spring Branch ISD and a parent alleging the district violated the Voting Rights Act sheds light on what the plaintiffs characterized as vast inequities fueled by a lack of elected representation from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged John Perez, lawsuit, redistricting, SCOTUS, single member districts, Spring Branch, Texas, Virginia Elizondo, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Trial begins in Spring Branch ISD single member district lawsuit

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Another big case in court this week. A lawsuit against Spring Branch ISD got its day in court Monday, after three years floating in the legal ether waiting for rulings from similar cases to play out. The suit, filed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Duncan Klussmann, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, lawsuit, SCOTUS, single member districts, Spring Branch, Texas, Virginia Elizondo, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Full Fifth Circuit overturns Galveston redistricting ruling

Posted on August 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Terrible. They’re just making this shit up as they go. Distinct minority groups cannot join together in coalitions to claim their votes are diluted in redistricting cases under the Voting Rights Act, a divided federal appeals court ruled Thursday, acknowledging … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Campaign Legal Center, Commissioners Court, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Galveston, Justice Department, lawsuit, Mark Henry, redistricting, SCOTUS, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Stephen Holmes, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Lawsuit filed over Angleton ISD at large districts

Posted on July 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Add this one to the list. A lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges that Angleton ISD is violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by denying fair representation to Hispanic voters by using an at-large system to elect all of its trustees. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Angleton ISD, lawsuit, SCOTUS, single member districts, Texas, Voting Rights Act | 2 Comments

Full Fifth Circuit hears Galveston redistricting case

Posted on May 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Always hard to feel any optimism when these guys are involved. Conservatives on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals occasionally sounded like Fox News talking heads Tuesday as they weighed whether coalitions composed of multiple minority groups are protected under … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Campaign Legal Center, Commissioners Court, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, filing deadline, Galveston, Justice Department, lawsuit, Mark Henry, primaries, redistricting, SCOTUS, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Stephen Holmes, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Lawsuit filed over Humble ISD’s lack of single member districts

Posted on May 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Add another to the pile. A former Humble ISD Spanish teacher sued the district Thursday, alleging trustees and administrators violated the Voting Rights Act by holding all at-large elections for the school board. The lawsuit, filed by Brewer Storefront, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, School days | Tagged Humble ISD, Judith Bautista, lawsuit, Martina Dixon, single member districts, Spring Branch, Texas, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

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