Colorado Supreme Court Blocks Democrat Redistricting Push

The issue gained momentum last year after President Donald Trump encouraged Republican-led states to consider redrawing congressional maps in an effort to strengthen the GOP’s narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democrats have faced additional hurdles in pursuing similar efforts in states where independent redistricting commissions control the map-drawing process, including Colorado.

Virginia Democrats advanced a comparable ballot measure this year that sought to bypass the state’s independent redistricting commission and adopt a new congressional map.

Although voters narrowly approved the proposal, the Virginia Supreme Court later blocked it from taking effect, NBC News noted.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries faced mounting criticism following the Virginia high court’s decision, as Republicans accused Democrats of overreaching in a high-stakes redistricting battle that ultimately collapsed in court.

In its May 4-3 ruling, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated the voter-approved congressional map, finding that Democratic lawmakers violated procedural requirements under the state constitution when placing the referendum on the ballot.