Courts Uphold Redistricting Challenges in North Carolina, Mississippi, Wisconsin

Several states are grappling with legal battles over redistricting ahead of upcoming elections, highlighting ongoing disputes over racial and partisan gerrymandering. In North Carolina, a federal trial concluded with plaintiffs, including the NAACP, arguing that new maps diluted Black voting power by packing Black voters into districts with rural white voters, leading to a Republican tilt in the 2024 congressional delegation; GOP mapmakers countered that the maps were drawn for partisan, not racial reasons. Mississippi is preparing for special elections under revised district maps after a federal court ruling, with the Board of Election Commissioners planning an appeal focused on a narrow legal issue related to legislative redistricting prompted by claims of diluted Black voting strength. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, the state Supreme Court declined to hear Democratic challenges to congressional maps that favor Republicans, maintaining six Republican-held districts out of eight; Democrats argued the maps packed Democratic voters and violated constitutional protections, but the unanimous court decision was made without comment. The refusal to redraw Wisconsin’s districts is seen as benefiting Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms, though Democrats remain hopeful about flipping certain seats. These cases illustrate the contentious and complex nature of redistricting battles across key states with significant implications for political representation and electoral outcomes.