CASE SUMMARY

On May 3, 2022, the City of Dover, New Hampshire, filed a petition for original jurisdiction with the New Hampshire Supreme Court challenging the state's enacted state House redistricting plan as violating the U.S. and New Hampshire Constitutions. First, petitioners allege the enacted plan contains a population deviation range above 10% in violation of the one person, one vote requirement under the 14th Amendment. Second, they assert the plan violates Part II, article 9 of the New Hampshire Constitution because it fails to give a representative to Dover Ward 4 despite it exceeding the ideal population entitling it to one. They are asking the Court to assume original jurisdiction over the case, enjoin the enacted plan from being used in future elections, and for the court to otherwise remedy the unconstitutional aspects of the enacted plan.

The New Hampshire Supreme Court denied the petition for original jurisdiction on May 17 without prejudice to the petitioners filing their action in a New Hampshire trial court. The petitioners filed their complaint with the Strafford County Superior Court on July 26, 2022.

CASE LIBRARY

New Hampshire Supreme Court - No. 2022-0249

New Hampshire Superior Court, Strafford County - No. 219-2022-CV-224

The Supreme Court of New Hampshire - No. 2024-0259