Court says Texas doesn't need federal supervision for 2021 redistricting

A panel of federal judges on Wednesday said that Texas lawmakers can draw political districts in 2021 without federal oversight for the first time in decades, possibly the final chapter in a protracted legal battle over voting rights and the state’s political maps.

Lawyers for minority voters and voting rights organizations requested federal supervision over concerns that Texas legislative leaders would continue a pattern of drawing maps designed to discriminate against minority voters. They said they haven’t decided whether to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called the decision a “win for our Constitution and the right of Texans to govern themselves.”

“We are thankful that today’s decision finally puts an end to this baseless challenge,” Paxton said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.statesman.com/news/20190724/court-says-texas-doesnt-need-federal-supervision-for-2021-redistricting