What to expect in Texas' voting rights court fights in 2018
The legal battles over the state's political maps and voter ID requirements will extend into 2018. Here's what to expect. Full Story
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![The popular "I Voted" stickers at a South Texas early voting location on Oct. 26, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analyses in the rearview mirror: Texas redistricting
Some of the political kids in Texas wanted a quick ruling on redistricting for Christmas, a perennial request that never seems to be granted. With just two Texas elections left in the decade, the courts are still arguing over the state's maps. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
How the Texas redistricting lawsuit outlived a voter who sued
The six-year battle over the state’s redistricting plan illustrates how a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling four years ago has shifted the burden in challenges of such laws. Full Story
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![Jose Garza, an attorney for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, and former Texas Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer speak to reporters on April 27, 2017, following a status conference on a years-long challenge to Texas' political maps.]()
Credit: Jim Malewitz -
Analysis: How do they cheat thee? Count the ways
Legislative majorities often cheat when they're drawing political maps, but a case argued this week in the U.S. Supreme Court could put new limits on lawmaker decisions about who represents whom. Full Story
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![The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on June 7, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Pasadena drops appeal, will remain under federal oversight of election laws
Following a Pasadena City Council vote to settle a voting rights lawsuit over how it redrew its council districts in 2013, the city will remain under federal oversight for any changes to its voting laws until 2023 — the only setup of its kind in Texas. Full Story
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![A strip mall on the north side of Pasadena, Texas, on July 1, 2017. The Houston suburb is under federal oversight for any changes to its voting laws until 2023 — the only setup of its kind in Texas.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Forget about new political maps — probably
The nation's highest court says Texas should use the political maps it already has in place while litigation over those maps continues. But the courts have been known to change the maps in the middle of election years. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Supreme Court puts redrawing of Texas political maps on hold
In separate orders issued Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked two lower court rulings that invalidated parts of the state's congressional and House maps where lawmakers were found to have discriminated against voters of color, putting on hold efforts to redraw those maps. Full Story
![The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on June 7, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Here's a look at where things stand in Texas redistricting court battle
With the clock ticking toward the 2018 elections, here's a status update on Texas' long-winding redistricting court battle. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocks ruling against Texas House map
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday temporarily put on hold a lower court ruling that invalidated nine of Texas' 150 House seats. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Analysis: The Texas Legislature’s persistent discrimination
Texas lawmakers have now been popped by federal judges seven or eight times in recent years for intentionally discriminating against minority voters with voter ID and redistricting legislation. Think they’ve got a problem? Full Story
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![Students in line for early voting at the Willie A. Tempton Student Center at Prairie View A&M University on November 2, 2016.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocks ruling against Texas congressional map
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday temporarily put on hold a lower court ruling that invalidated two of Texas' 36 congressional districts. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Texas House map must be redrawn, federal court says
Federal judges on Thursday found fault with some of the state’s 150 state House districts, which must now be redrawn ahead of the 2018 elections. Full Story
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Puzzling shapes: Travel across this gerrymandered Texas district
As part of our Lock The Vote series, we examine a key piece of Republicans’ 2011 redistricting strategy, which courts said discriminated against minorities: U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s curiously-shaped 35th Congressional District. Full Story
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With Supreme Court appeal, Texas wants to keep congressional map intact
Attorney General Ken Paxton revealed that Texas has no plans to ask lawmakers to redraw the state's Congressional map in a fresh round of legislative overtime. Instead, Paxton is appealing the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. Full Story
![Jose Garza, an attorney for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, and former Texas Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer speak to reporters on April 27, 2017, following a status conference on a years-long challenge to Texas' political maps.]()
Credit: Jim Malewitz -
Texas backs Wisconsin in battle to protect partisan gerrymandering
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is backing Wisconsin in a high-profile case asking the U.S. Supreme Court whether lawmakers can go too far when drawing political maps to advantage one party. Full Story
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![Ken Paxton speaks at the Texas State Rifle Association General Meeting in Round Rock on Feb. 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Hey, Texplainer: Will Texans ever get a remedy for the state's alleged illegal redistricting?
If judges ultimately agree that Texas’ current political boundaries discriminate against minority voters, we could see new maps ahead of the 2018 elections. Judges could also impose a more consequential penalty. Full Story
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At tail end of Texas redistricting trial, judges skeptical of state's defense
A three-judge panel peppered state lawyers with questions on Saturday that suggested they were having trouble swallowing the state’s defense of political maps that minority groups say minimize the political clout of Latino and black Texans. Full Story
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On day 5 of redistricting trial, Texas rebuts claim that current political maps discriminate
As lawyers for Texas defended the state's political maps against charges of intentional discrimination, a lawmaker at the center of the case invoked "legislative privilege" Friday to avoid answering some questions. Full Story
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![Rep. Drew Darby discusses the upcoming 83rd Texas legislative session at The Texas Tribune Festival 2012.]()
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Analysis: A 2018 Texas legislative battle map, federal courts willing
Democrats have some chances to pick up seats in the Texas House next year, with a dozen Republicans defending seats in politically wobbly districts. But watch those redistricting judges in San Antonio before you make any bets. Full Story
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In court, redistricting battle puts sharper focus on 2013 Legislature
As part of a weeklong trial, the state's legal foes are turning their attention to lawmakers' actions in 2013 in an effort to finally resolve years-long litigation over Texas' political maps. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol in Austin on June 20, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune
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