On November 21, a 3-judge U.S. District Court struck down Wisconsin’s 2011 redistricting plan for the Assembly, the lower house of the legislature. Whitford v Gill, w.d., 3:15cv-421. Here is the opinion, which was 2-1. The opinion is by Judge Kenneth F. Ripple, a Reagan appointee. It is co-signed by Judge Barbara Crabb, a Carter appointee. The dissent, which is 40 pages, is by Judge William Griesbach, a Bush Jr. appointee.

The plaintiffs are voters who identify with the Democratic Party. Because this was a 3-judge court, the state’s only appeal is to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is very likely to accept the case. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.

The four nationally-organized third parties that have at least 50,000 registered voters nationwide all made registration gains during 2016.

Libertarians had 411,250 in February 2016, but 499,492 in October 2016.
Greens had 242,023 in February, but 256,560 in October.
Constitution had 77,916 in February, but 92,483 in October.
Working Families had 55,690 in February, but 61,517 in October.

The data for the Republican and Democratic Parties will be posted as soon as the only missing data state, Kansas, furnishes it.

On November 8, voters in Ypsilanti Township in Michigan elected seven members to the Park Commission. In this partisan election, only four Democrats ran, and no Republicans ran. The Green Party ran two nominees and the Libertarian Party ran three nominees. With such a absence of major party candidates, it was inevitable that some of the minor party nominees would win, and they did. Two Greens and one Libertarian were elected. The two Greens are Shauna McNally (5,009 votes) and Stuart Collis (4,581 votes). The winning Libertarian, Elizabeth Corder, received 4,719 votes. The two losing Libertarians received 4,165 and 3,889 votes.

The four winning Democrats received these votes: 17,888; 17,544; 17,051; and 17,042. Ypsilanti Township is in Washtenaw County.