The Alaska state Supreme Court ruled that the Alaska Redistricting Board drew maps illegally, violating the state Constitution’s equal protection doctrine.
. In other words, in situations where one political party controls both the executive and legislative branches, that party will still have near-total control in deciding who to appoint to the five-member Alaska Redistricting Board, with just one seat being selected by the state Supreme Court itself.
But while changes to the board’s composition will not come about due to the ruling, the court’s decision does establish that partisan gerrymandering will not be acceptable in the future, and that challenges on the basis of one party drawing maps to favor themselves will be scrutinized more thoroughly.
“This decision will put vital sideboards on the redistricting process to prevent political abuse of the process in the future,” Scott Kendall, a former chief of staff to independent Gov. Bill Walker,As the world changes at an unprecedented pace, we need ethical, independent news more than ever before. We need journalists who can investigate, report, and analyze complex issues with honesty and integrity.
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