Indiana’s top elections official admits fundraising error
Indiana’s top elections official has acknowledged violating state political fundraising rules with the launch of her 2022 election campaign.
Redistricting
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Census shows Indiana grows, retains all 9 US House seats
Indiana’s population grew about 5% during the past decade to nearly 6.8 million residents and the state held onto its nine U.S. House seats, the U.S. Census Bureau announced Monday in the first release of data from the 2020 national headcount.
House seat numbers can’t be released before next week
The numbers used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets can’t be released before Monday, according to an agreement that settles litigation between the U.S. Census Bureau and a coalition of local governments and civil rights groups.
Indiana lawmakers plan on return for redistricting votes
Indiana lawmakers won’t be done for the year when their regular legislative session ends later this month. Legislative leaders are laying the groundwork for a return by all 150 lawmakers to Indianapolis months from now to approve new congressional and General Assembly districts based on data from last year’s census.
Finding consensus, struggling with conflict at legislative halfway mark
As Indiana lawmakers prepare for the second half of the session, several key issues are awaiting further review.
Census delay points to special session for Indiana lawmakers
A delay in the completion of data from last year’s census has Indiana legislative leaders anticipating a special session over the summer to draw new maps for congressional and General Assembly districts.
Time, transparency needed as Biden inherits frazzled census
Battered by criticism that the 2020 census was dangerously politicized by the Trump administration, the U.S. Census Bureau under a new Biden administration has the tall task of restoring confidence in the numbers that will be used to determine funding and political power.
Lawmakers return to Statehouse for start of 2021 session
Indiana lawmakers return to the Statehouse on Monday for the start of a legislative session that will be conducted unlike any other before it.
Coalition enlists public for ‘shadow redistricting’
A coalition of activist groups has announced a new push against what it calls partisan gerrymandering by Indiana’s Republican-dominated Legislature. The organization All IN for Democracy is creating an Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission to shadow the Indiana General Assembly as it redraws the congressional and legislative maps next year using 2020 census data.
Critics look to pressure GOP over Indiana redistricting
A coalition of activist groups announced a new push Monday against what it called partisan gerrymandering by Indiana’s Republican-dominated Legislature. Efforts will include a “shadow” redistricting process with greater public input into redrawing the state House and Senate districts.
Supreme Court seems skeptical of Trump’s census plan
The Supreme Court sounded skeptical Monday that President Donald Trump could categorically exclude people living in the country illegally from the population count used to allot seats among the states in the House of Representatives.
Supreme Court halts census in latest twist of 2020 count
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that the Trump administration can end census field operations early, in a blow to efforts to make sure minorities and hard-to-enumerate communities are properly counted in the crucial once-a-decade tally.
COA reverses for Madison County commissioners in redistricting ordinance dispute
A redistricting dispute initially resolved in favor of two citizens has been reversed in favor of the local Madison County government after the Indiana Court of Appeals found that an ordinance meant to more evenly distribute the population did not run afoul of the controlling redistricting statute. The ruling comes as Indiana prepares for the 2020 election season.
Cellphone ban, pregnancy accommodations among issues facing Statehouse debate
Indiana lawmakers returned to the Statehouse this week after deadlines last week on advancing bills for action during the second half of this year’s legislative session.
Indiana redistricting critics keeping up push for changes
Critics of how Indiana politicians dice up the state for congressional and legislative districts know they are running out of time for changing that process with the once-a-decade U.S. census less than three months away.
Redistricting reform advocates pushing for transparency
Redistricting reform advocates are taking a slightly different approach at the Republican-controlled Indiana Legislature this year, as they make more transparency the priority ahead of lines being redrawn in 2021.
Teacher pay, health care costs to feature in 2020 legislative debate
With the start of the 2020 legislative session about a month away, party leaders are formulating their plans for the short session, with teacher pay continuing to be a point of contention.
Faegre team’s gerrymandering win vacated by U.S. Supreme Court
The fight over Michigan’s redistricting, litigated in part by a team from the Indianapolis office of Faegre Baker Daniels, ended Monday with an order from the U.S. Supreme Court vacating a lower court’s ruling that gerrymandering based on political affiliation violates the Constitution.
Plaintiffs challenge Mich. redistricting panel’s independence
The release of emails in the gerrymandering lawsuit brought by the League of Women Voters spurred Michigan residents to strip their legislators of redistricting duties and turn the mapmaking over to an independent commission. However, a new federal lawsuit is challenging the new body, asserting the exclusion of certain individuals violates the First and 14th amendments.
Long partisan gerrymandering fight ends, but struggle continues
For a team of Indiana lawyers who successfully litigated a case contesting partisan gerrymandering in Michigan, a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision was a disappointment that likely will vacate the judgment in their favor. Legal observers say the issue now will be fought in statehouses across the country.