Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown is seeking the U.S. Supreme Court’s involvement in the state’s ongoing redistricting dispute. Brown, a Democrat, has asked the high court to review the state’s legislative district maps, which were redrawn in 2024 to enhance the political voice of Latino voters in the Yakima Valley.

Background on the Case

The maps were approved by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik and later upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. However, the recent Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Calais has significantly changed the legal landscape, curtailing the use of race in drawing district boundaries. Brown argues that the court should review the case to ensure that the current standard and precedent are followed.

Jose Trevino and State Representative Alex Ybarra, who opposed the redrawn maps, petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court in January to take up the case. They argued that the maps were a racial gerrymander, disallowed under the Federal Voting Rights Act. Brown’s request to the Supreme Court is not to decide the case but to vacate the Ninth Circuit Court’s judgment and allow the panel to decide whether its prior decision still applies under the current case law.

Implications of the Supreme Court’s Involvement

If the Supreme Court grants the petition, it could lead to the reconfiguring of legislative districts before they are scheduled to be redrawn in 2031. Brown noted that the court’s involvement would ensure that the state follows the current law of the land. The case has significant implications for the voting power of minority communities in Washington State and across the country.

Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.