Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, an Independent Constitutional Body, Petitioner, Colleen Coyle Mathis…

Summary

The court held that it had original jurisdiction to review the Governor’s removal of an independent redistricting commissioner and that the challenge was not barred by the political question doctrine. Mathis had standing, and the Governor’s stated grounds did not constitute the constitutionally required legal cause for removal because no quorum-based open-meeting violation was alleged and the map-related charge was premature while the maps remained in draft form. The court granted relief and ordered Mathis reinstated as chair of the Commission.