Tennessee Senate map ruled unconstitutional
According to the court ruling, the legislature has until the end of January to make a new map.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A court in the 20th Judicial District in Davidson County has ruled Wednesday that the Tennessee House redistricting map was constitutional and that the Senate rezoning map was not.
The court ruled that the state legislature has until Jan. 31, 2024, to create a new Senate map.
The decision came after Chief Judge Russel T. Perkins and Chancellor Steven W. Maroney shared their opinions.
Lt. Governor Randy McNally said senate leadership is reviewing the decision and is evaluating the next steps.
“Based on the thorough and compelling dissent from Judge Maroney, I personally believe an appeal is a very viable option,” McNally said.
Tennessee Democrat leaders said the following in reaction to the ruling:
“Today’s court ruling against the gerrymandered state Senate map is a clear win for the Tennessee Constitution. Even when a political party has a supermajority in the legislature, its members must still follow the law. In the days ahead, Senate Democrats will once again be advocating for a fair map and transparent process that keeps communities whole and reflects who we are as a state.”
The lawsuit was filed on Feb. 23, 2022, against Gov. Bill Lee, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins by people who live in the district.
To read the full court ruling, read the document below:
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