WASHINGTON -- Testimony wrapped up on Thursday in a trial determining whether new political district lines drawn by the Texas Legislature violated the federal Voting Rights Act. Attention will now quickly shift to San Antonio, where another federal court must draw interim maps.
A three-judge panel in Washington has heard testimony for two weeks to determine whether the new maps of the state's legislative and congressional voting districts violate a section of the Voting Rights Act that requires pre-approval for states with a history of racial discrimination. Texas is one of nine, mostly southern, states that require "preclearance" from the Justice Department.
Closing arguments in the case are set for Tuesday. The judges have given no indication of when they might make a ruling.
While the Washington court determines whether Texas is in violation of federal law, the court in San Antonio must draw maps so that the state's primaries, which are scheduled for April, can proceed. The San Antonio court had previously drawn interim maps but those were thrown out last week by the U.S. Supreme Court, which said the San Antonio court did not show enough deference to the map crafted by Texas lawmakers and adjusted parts of the map where there was no Voting Rights Act argument.
The legal merry-go-round has created uncertainty in Texas. Plenty is at stake: Texas will add four seats to its congressional delegation in 2012 because of adjustments made with 2010 U.S. Census data. Both Democrats and Republicans believe the state will play an important role in determining who controls the U.S. House of Representatives. Adjustments in Texas House and Senate maps could also affect the balance of power in the Legislature, though Republicans will almost certainly maintain control of both.
In Washington, a three-judge panel has heard arguments from the State of Texas, which has said that the Legislature's redrawn maps don't violate federal law and simply reflect political priorities, and a coalition that includes the Justice Department and several minority groups that maintains the Texas map shows discriminatory intent.
Judges have heard hours of testimony from Texas lawmakers, members of Congress, Texas House and Senate staff and redistricting experts. In addition, the judges will consider thousands of pages of pre-filed evidence from the two sides. The presiding judge in the Washington case, Rosemary Collyer, moved up closing arguments to Tuesday so both parties could turn their attention to the San Antonio court. A series of filings from both sides will be due shortly after.
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