CASE SUMMARY
On December 13, 2021, a Texas State Representative filed a federal lawsuit against the Texas Governor and Secretary of State, challenging Texas's enacted congressional redistricting plan as violating the U.S. Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act. Plaintiffs' claims focus primarily on Congressional District 35 around San Antonio, which had been a majority-Latino district under the prior decade's redistricting plan but, after being reconfigured in the enacted plan, no longer has a majority Latino citizen voting age population. Plaintiff asserts that the newly configured CD 35 has the effect of diluting the voting strength of Latinos in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and that it constitutes racial discrimination in violation of the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. He is seeking a declaratory judgment that the plan violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law, a preliminary and permanent injunction barring the Defendants from using or implementing the plan in any future elections, and for the court to order any other relief to which the plaintiff is entitled.
On December 15, 2021, the district court consolidated this case with several other pending challenges to Texas redistricting plans: League of United Latin Am. Citizens v. Abbott; Wilson v. Texas; Voto Latino v. Scott; Mexican Am. Legislative Caucus v. Texas; Brooks v. Abbott; Fair Maps Texas Action Comm. v. Abbott; & Texas State Conf. of the NAACP v. Abbott; and United States v. Texas.
CASE LIBRARY
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division - No. 3:21-cv-306 [consolidated with 3:21-cv-259; 1:21-cv-943, 1:21-cv-965, 1:21-cv-988, 1:21-cv-991, 1:21-cv-1006, 1:21-cv-1038; & 3:21-cv-299]
- Complaint - 12/13/21
- Order Constituting Three-Judge Court - 12/15/21
- Order Consolidating Case - 12/15/21