In Re 2011 Redistricting Cases

Summary

The court granted both petitions for review and remanded the matter for the Redistricting Board to formulate a new plan using a constitution-first process. The Board must initially design a plan satisfying the Alaska Constitution, then make only the least deviation reasonably necessary to comply with the Voting Rights Act. The court also held that population concentration does not preclude a voter-dilution claim and that the superior court applied an insufficient rationale when evaluating two Native effective house districts.