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Clyde statement on U.S. Supreme Court decisions in gerrymandering cases

June 18, 2018
Democratic Newsroom

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Gill v. Whitford, a Wisconsin case challenging the state’s legislative districts, and Benisek v. Lamone, a Maryland case challenging congressional districts. The court decided each case on procedural grounds without reaching the merits of plaintiffs’ partisan gerrymandering claims.

“Today, the United States Supreme Court avoided deciding whether partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional. Yet, as Justice Kagan wrote today in her concurring opinion, ‘Partisan gerrymandering is…incompatible with democratic principles…and enables politicians to entrench themselves in power against the people’s will.’ I therefore firmly hope and believe that when the Court does decide the issue, it will rule that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional.

“No matter how the Court rules, we need to stop partisan gerrymandering in Ohio. The people of Ohio are to be congratulated for passing state and congressional redistricting reforms. But we have much more to do and I will continue to work as hard as I can to fight against unfair and undemocratic partisan redistricting.”

The cases return to lower federal courts for next steps.