A voting rights advocacy group has taken legal action in South Carolina, urging the state’s highest court to instruct lawmakers to redraw the U.S. House districts due to their perceived Republican bias. The congressional map was recently upheld in a Supreme Court ruling, solidifying a 6-1 Republican advantage in the U.S. House. The League of Women Voters initiated the lawsuit, arguing that the current districts violate the state constitution’s mandate for fair elections and equal protection under the law.
Allen Chaney, legal director for the South Carolina ACLU, emphasized that partisan gerrymandering distorts political power and undermines democratic principles. The lawsuit targets the leadership of the Republican-dominated state Senate and House, which approved the contested maps earlier in 2022. The suit alleges that districts were intentionally drawn to concentrate Republican voters in certain areas and dilute Democratic influence, undermining the notion of equitable representation.
The ACLU’s lawsuit contends that South Carolina’s current congressional map lacks competitive districts, with no districts where Democrats and Republicans have nearly equal representation. Despite former President Donald Trump winning the state by a significant margin in 2020, all seven congressional districts heavily favor Republicans. In the most recent elections, Republicans secured victories in four out of five districts, with Democratic Representative Jim Clyburn winning his district with 62% of the vote.
The ACLU is calling for direct intervention by the state Supreme Court, bypassing lower courts, citing similar cases in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico where courts ruled against partisan gerrymandering. The organization asserts that drawing congressional districts to favor one party over another infringes on the right to fair and equitable elections, as outlined in state constitutions with similar provisions.
