# What is the status of efforts to end gerrymandering on a state level **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 14, 2018, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-status-of-efforts-to-end-gerrymandering-on-a-state-level/824496 "2018-11-14T03:14:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-status-of-efforts-to-end-gerrymandering-on-a-state-level/824496/1 "2018-11-14T03:14:11Z")
My impression is the SCOTUS doesn’t want to address gerrymandering, so it is something that the states will likely do individually through a mix of legislative actions, ballot initiatives and state or federal court lawsuits. So what actions have been taken to overturn to prohibit gerrymandering? In the 2018 election, Missouri, Michigan and Colorado passed ballot initiatives to prohibit the practice (I believe). Earlier this year, Ohio passed an intiative to do the same thing. The courts in PA and NC have struck down their maps, but in NC the legislature just ignores the courts. Maryland had their maps tossed out by a federal court. What about other heavily gerrymandered states? Texas, Wisconsin, Virginia, etc? Is there any move towards overturning gerrymandering in those places? Wisconsin’s map is tied up in court right now, I’m not sure how that will end. I believe the SCOTUS is going to look at Virginia’s maps, but I’m not sure what the outcome could be. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-status-of-efforts-to-end-gerrymandering-on-a-state-level/824496/2 "2018-11-14T05:37:52Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > The courts in PA and NC have struck down their maps, but in NC the legislature just ignores the courts. Our map was drawn by a Democrat Judge and was used in the last election. It helped but our state is one where the rural vote will always get some or all control in the state houses with the cities electing the Governor. It smoothed out some of the lines but I expect it to be tweaked again in the next few years. There has been a move to adopt a more California approach to having the lines drawn but I doubt it will get anywhere. Both parties have their power bases and uncontested elections and I think both really prefer it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-status-of-efforts-to-end-gerrymandering-on-a-state-level/824496/3 "2018-11-14T07:27:40Z")
Take Ohio off the list. It didn’t prohibit gerrymandering, it just made it slightly more inconvenient. The congressional and legislative plans are slightly different, but the general thrust of both is that a map adopted without bipartisan support only lasts four years, compared to ten for a plan with bipartisan support. (Never mind that bipartisan gerrymandering is still gerrymandering.) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-status-of-efforts-to-end-gerrymandering-on-a-state-level/824496/4 "2018-11-14T12:00:36Z")
NC has ignored the courts, but I hope the courts are losing patience. [There is a new lawsuit](http://www.wfae.org/post/there-another-nc-gerrymandering-lawsuit-time-state-level#stream/0), and two years ought to be plenty of time for the legislature to exhaust their foot-dragging options. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-status-of-efforts-to-end-gerrymandering-on-a-state-level/824496/5 "2018-11-14T14:43:36Z")
Yes, Michigan passed proposal 2 by a huge margin (61 to 39, IIRC). The text on the ballot was as follows: > [@](#): > > This proposed constitutional amendment would: > Create a commission of 13 registered voters randomly selected by the Secretary of State: > 4 each who self-identify as affiliated with the 2 major political parties; and > 5 who self-identify as unaffiliated with major political parties. > Prohibit partisan officeholders and candidates, their employees, certain relatives, and lobbyists from serving as commissioners. > Establish new redistricting criteria including geographically compact and contiguous districts of equal population, reflecting Michigan’s diverse population and communities of interest. Districts shall not provide disproportionate advantage to political parties or candidates. > Require an appropriation of funds for commission operations and commissioner compensation. Should this proposal be adopted? > Should this proposal be adopted? > YES > NO ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-status-of-efforts-to-end-gerrymandering-on-a-state-level/824496/6 "2018-11-15T20:46:00Z")
Utah had a proposition on the ballot this year to require an independent commission every 10 years (at census time) to propose boundaries, which the legislature could approve or reject. At last count the vote was something like 50% to 49% in favor, but the results are still trickling in, and there are only a few hundred votes difference, so we won’t know the final result for a few more days.