Many Kane County residents became aware of the impact of gerrymandering in August 2025 when some members of the Texas legislature came to St. Charles, Illinois, to stop the redistricting vote in the Texas legislature.
Leaders in other states (both Democratic and Republican) were alarmed by this action in Texas and said they were considering changing their political maps before the election. However, some of these states – most of which lean Democratic – have independent redistricting commissions, which do not favor either party, and these commissions would have to be changed. States with independent commissions are Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, and Washington. Other states use a hybrid model or have laws that require additional steps in a short period of time or a change to the state’s Constitution. All states need to be in compliance with the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution to make these changes.
Texas and Missouri have already pushed through new maps, but these are being challenged in court. The North Carolina legislature pushed through a map, and voters are asking a federal court to review it. Other legislatures that are considering redistricting are Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Utah, Ohio, and Louisiana. In response, some states are considering special elections to vote on redistricting or changes to their Constitutions. These states include Maryland, Illinois, California, and New York. On November 4th, California voters can vote yes or no on Proposition 50.
Normally, redistricting takes place every 10 years following the census so that changes in population are reflected. Then maps are drawn that give voters the opportunity to elect candidates who fairly represent their communities’ interests and values. Gerrymandering has been around since early in the republic. But in the wake of the Civil Right Act and following the 1967 Uniform Congressional District Act that banned at-large districts, states were expected to deliver fair representation for minority voters.
In recent years, however, the Supreme Court has thrown out much of the Voting Rights Act and has ruled that that “Determining the proper shape of a district is a political question not suited to resolution by federal courts” and that “the same logic demonstrates that racial gerrymandering
and vote dilution claims are also nonjusticiable.” This has opened the door to the actions being taken in Texas and elsewhere and its response by the opposition.
Sources Consulted
Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP. supremecourt.gov
“State Legislative Update: Independent Citizen-Redistricting Commissions,” April 29, 2025. www.amacad.org.
“The Fight to Redraw U.S. House Maps Is Spreading,” Sep. 29, 2025. pbs.org,
“Proposition 59.” lao.ca.gov,
“Gerrymandering Explained,” Aug. 10, 2021. www.brennancenter.org.
“Supreme Court Could Have Major Impact on Midterm Elections,” Sep. 23, 2025. www.newsweek.com.
