Samuel Sukaton News Today

As the young, progressive set watched the returns roll in, it became obvious that the second-largest city in America was taking a hard left turn.

CHICAGO -- Court hearings in legal challenges to Illinois proposed legislative maps are underway. Groups are challenging the maps, citing the Voting Rights Act and saying the maps dilute minority votes. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund is representing Latino residents in Chicago, and the NAACP as well as the United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations are representing Black residents of the East St. ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With pending litigation challenging Ohios recently passed legislative maps, a new project is humanizing the stakes of the redistricting process. The Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments last week from three groups challenging the new Ohio House and Senate district maps as unconstitutional for violating anti-gerrymandering requirements. Jeniece Brock, policy and advocacy director for the Ohio Organizing Collaborative and vice chair of the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission, ...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- As the California Citizens Redistricting Commission prepares to decide on the final legislative maps, conservation groups are asking communities united by environmental concerns be kept together. The idea is to give voters more influence over the people who have the power to address problems such as industrial air pollution, marine oil spills, drought or wildfire. ...