CASE SUMMARY

On January 19, 2022, a group of Washington voters filed a federal lawsuit against Washington’s Secretary of State, House Speaker, and Senate Majority Leader challenging the Washington State Redistricting Commission’s adopted legislative plan as intentionally discriminatory and as diluting Latino voters’ voting strength in violation of § 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act (“VRA”). They sought a judicial declaration that the legislative plan violated the VRA, a preliminary and permanent injunction barring the plan from use in future elections, and a court order requiring the State to adopt a new plan that complies with the VRA.

  • On April 13, 2022, the district court dismissed the claims against the House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader and denied the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction, citing the Purcell principle.
  • The district court held a consolidated trial for this case and another pending challenge to Washington’s adopted legislative plan, Garcia v. Hobbs, between June 2 and June 7, 2023.
  • On August 10, 2023, the district court struck down the legislative plan as violating § 2 of the VRA, finding it resulted in the dilution of Latino voters’ voting strength. The court ordered the State to adopt and enact a remedial plan by February 7, 2024. The defendants filed their notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on September 8, 2023.
  • The parties attempted to resolve the case through mediation while the appeal was pending at the Ninth Circuit, but mediation ended on October 4, 2023.
  • On November 3, 2023, with the Ninth Circuit appeal still pending, the defendants filed a petition for writ of certiorari before judgment with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to reverse the district court’s decision and remedial order.
  • On November 8, 2023, the defendants asked the district court to stay its remedial order while its appeals were pending, but the court denied the stay on December 21, 2023. The defendants also requested a stay from the Ninth Circuit on December 5, 2023, which was denied on December 21, 2023.

CASE LIBRARY

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma - No. 3:22-cv-5035

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit - No. 23-35595

Supreme Court of the United States - No. 23-484

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit - No. 24-1602

Supreme Court of the United States - No. 23A862

Palmer v. Hobbs
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