Gerrymandering case

Supreme Court to hear partisan gerrymandering case

By JOSH GERSTEIN

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case from Wisconsin that could clarify whether redistricting plans can be unconstitutional because they're too partisan.

Last November, a three-judge panel ruled, 2-1, that the Republican-drawn maps for Wisconsin's state assembly were impermissibly biased against Democrats.

The State of Wisconsin had asked the Supreme Court to summarily overturn the decision, or to put it on hold. The order from the justices Monday suggests they plan to hear the case this fall. There has been no action on the stay request.

Without relief from the justices, the state must submit a new redistricting plan by November 1.

The Supreme Court wrestled with the legality of partisan gerrymandering in cases in 1986 and 2004, but issued muddled rulings that offered no clear guidance on the issue.