Supreme Court decides redistricting authority not absolute

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday held that the Republican-led North Carolina state legislature had redrawn congressional districts in a partisan manner. The 6-3 ruling rejects the “independent state legislature” theory, which argues that state lawmakers have the ability to draw congressional district lines relatively unchecked. Chief Justice John Roberts argued that judicial review—the courts’ ability to review the constitutionality of laws—applies to laws pertaining to elections.

So which courts have the final say on congressional maps? Roberts wrote in the majority opinion that state courts don’t have “free rein” to strike down state election laws pertaining to federal elections. Instead, they must be held in check by federal courts.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report from the WORLD archives about swing states considering new voting district maps.