CASE SUMMARY

On March 15, 2022, a Washington voter filed a federal lawsuit against Washington’s Secretary of State challenging one of the state’s newly enacted legislative districts, District 15, as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. They sought a judicial declaration that the district was unconstitutional, a permanent injunction barring the district from use in future elections, and for the court to require a new, lawful plan be enacted.

  • The district court held a consolidated trial for this case and another pending challenge to Washington’s adopted legislative plan, Palmer v. Trevino, between June 2 and June 7, 2023.
  • On September 8, 2023, the district court issued its decision dismissing the plaintiffs’ claims as moot in light of its decision in Palmer v. Trevino, which struck down the state’s legislative plan as violating § 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act, effectively foreclosing the possibility of relief for the plaintiffs’ racial gerrymandering claim.
  • On September 28, 2023, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • The Supreme Court reversed the district court on February 20, 2024, and remanded the case with instructions to issue an appealable order.
  • The district court's new order is being appealed through the Ninth Circuit.

Similar Case: Palmer v. Hobbs

CASE LIBRARY

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma - No. 3:22-cv-5152

Supreme Court of the United States - No. 23-467

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit - No. 24-2603