CASE SUMMARY

On October 25, 2021, two Oregon voters filed a petition with the Oregon Supreme Court challenging two districts in the Legislative Assembly’s enacted state House redistricting plan as having been drawn to favor an incumbent legislator in violation of Oregon Revised Statutes § 188.010(2) and for failing to comply with the respect for communities of interest and natural boundaries redistricting criteria under § 188.010(1). Petitioners asserted these districts were drawn to protect an incumbent state Senator from a likely primary challenger, an incumbent state Representative, by moving the state Representative into a different Senate district. They sought a judicial declaration the plan was unlawful and a court order requiring the Secretary of State to remedy the plan’s violations.

• On November 22, 2021, the Oregon Supreme Court upheld the plan as lawful, finding the petitioners failed to sufficiently support either of their claims and that the Legislative Assembly did not make line-drawing decisions that “no reasonable legislature” would’ve made as to the communities’ commonalities and connections.

Related Case: Sheehan v. Oregon Legislative Assembly

CASE LIBRARY

Oregon Supreme Court - No. S068989 [together with No. S068991]

• Petitioners' Brief in Support of Petition to Review Plan of Reapportionment Made by Oregon Legislative Assembly - 10/25/21
• Opinion - 11/22/21