Overview
- Plaintiffs asked Judge Dianna Gibson to block S.B. 1011, arguing its three mandated tests favor the dominant party and invert Proposition 4’s ban on partisan gerrymandering.
- The Legislature’s lawyer said lawmakers acted under time pressure to codify clear, accepted measures and argued fairness does not require guaranteeing a Democratic seat.
- Gibson questioned whether Proposition 4 calls for a holistic evaluation and pressed why the court should be limited to only three tests.
- A ruling is due on or before Nov. 10, and the court is weighing the Legislature’s Map C against two plans submitted by the plaintiffs for use in 2026.
- Legislative experts testified Map C passes the codified tests and the plaintiffs’ maps do not, following earlier rulings that reinstated Proposition 4 and invalidated the 2021 map.