AP18:092
For Immediate Release
June 18, 2018
Contact:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575
Secretary of State Alex Padilla Statement on US Supreme Court Refusal to Act on Partisan Gerrymandering
SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Alex Padilla issued the following statement after the US Supreme Court refused to act on two cases related to partisan gerrymandering.
"It is disappointing that the Supreme Court has punted on its responsibility to address the constitutionality of manipulative gerrymandering practices that favor one party over another and dilute our representative democracy. By not addressing the constitutionality of partisan gerrymandering, they are allowing state after state to continue to draw lines in pursuit of political power instead of fairness. This is a bad decision for fair representation and a bad decision for voting rights."
"This lack of action is even more troubling considering the already problematic preparations underway for the 2020 Census. Concerns about lack of funding, testing and leadership has cast doubt over the 2020 Census which will be used for redistricting purposes in 2021. Faulty Census data combined with partisan gerrymandering will undermine voting rights, the reapportionment process, and lead to even more partisanship in Congress."
"It’s only a matter of time before the issue of gerrymandering is heard again by the Supreme Court. The abuses of partisan and discriminatory gerrymandering must be brought to an end, sooner rather than later."
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