On June 6, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Bethune-Hill v Virginia State Board of Elections, 15-680. The issue is whether Virginia’s state house redistricting plan is an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Plaintiffs argue that the legislature squeezed as many blacks into a small number of state house districts, so as to minimize their impact on a larger number of districts. The lower court had upheld the plan 2-1.
If the U.S. Supreme Court invalidates the existing districts, there would be no impact this calendar year, because Virginia legislative elections are in odd years.