Opinion

Read in-depth op-eds on voting rights and democracy from our contributors, guest authors and Democracy Docket's founder, Marc Elias. Use the drop-down menu to organize by topic.

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With Help From Dems, Ohio Has Gerrymandering Déjà Vu

After 782 days and five bipartisan court strike downs of illegal Republican gerrymanders, Ohio is closing out its 2021 mapping cycle with Democrats caving on maps.

By Katy Shanahan

September 28, 2023

Blue background with red-toned shape of Ohio with a door knob and sign on the door knob that reads "OUT FOR LUNCH WILL BE BACK IN 782 DAYS"

In Defending Their Congressional Maps, Republicans Keep Defying the Law

It’s been a rough year for lawyers tasked with defending Republican redistricting maps in court.

By Marc Elias

September 6, 2023

Light blue background with image of the U.S. Supreme Court and four red-toned men holding flags of the following states (from left to right): Louisiana, Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

Alabama Shows Our Country Hasn’t Changed

Ten years ago, in his landmark opinion in Shelby County v. Holder, Chief Justice John Roberts promised that “our country has changed.”

By Marc Elias

July 25, 2023

Blue background with image of U.S. Supreme Court upside down, a map of Alabama toned in red to the left and an image of Chief Justice John Roberts to the right.

U.S. Supreme Court Gives Ohio GOP Second Shot at Gerrymandering

It appears that Ohio Republicans will get away with having defied seven prior state Supreme Court decisions entirely unscathed.

By Katy Shanahan

July 19, 2023

Blue background with red-colored manila folder titled "Congressional Maps" and a red piece of paper on the left hand side with a breakdown of the Ohio Supreme Court justices' political affiliations and two iterations of Ohio's congressional maps that were denied; and a red piece of paper on the right hand side on Ohio Supreme Court letterhead with the map of Ohio marked up with circles and question marks.

A Dangerous Legal Theory Is Rejected

Writing for a six-justice majority, Chief Justice John Roberts firmly rejected the so-called independent state legislature theory.

By Marc Elias

June 27, 2023

Dark blue background with black and white toned image of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices, a blue-toned image of the map of North Carolina, a blue-toned screenshot of the Supreme Court's opinion in Moore v. Harper, a red-toned screenshot of Justice Clarence Thomas' dissent with white scribble on top and a blue-toned image of a woman holding a scale.

Two Visions for the Constitution Stand Before Us, But It’s Not a Hard Choice

It has been roughly one year since two seismic events in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court.

By Rakim Brooks

April 3, 2023

Split background with one side blue and an image of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and the Supreme Court and the other side red with the Dobbs opinion and people holding up signs in protest that read "Overturn Roe? Hell No," "Never Again," and "When injustice becomes law resistance becomes duty."

The Future of Redistricting Rests on These Two U.S. Supreme Court Cases

The outcome in each of these cases is likely to be bad for proponents of redistricting reform. The only question that remains to be answered is: how bad?

By Nick Seabrook

February 24, 2023