Court Rejects Challenges to California's New Election Maps

The maps were the first created by a voter-approved redistricting panel

The California Supreme Court unanimously rejected two Republican challenges to the state's new electoral maps.

The state's high court on Wednesday rejected petitions challenging the validity of the state Senate and congressional redistricting maps recently adopted by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The court voted 7-0.

Voters approved the redistricting commission to independently draw California's legislative and congressional districts. A 14-member commission was created when voters approved Prop 11 in November 2008.

The panel in July approved final versions of the district maps for Congress, the state Assembly and Senate, and the state Board of Equalization, which administers sales and use taxes.

Republican leaders contend the Senate and congressional maps failed to comply with the Voting Rights Act and claim the new maps do not meet constitutional criteria.

Not long after the maps were approved in August, the California Supreme Court issued an order requiring potential lawsuits to be uploaded to the court's website. The process was an effort to expedite legal challenges so the court could rule on the objections in time for the June 2012 election -- the first time the maps will be used.

PropZero: Maps Aren't Worth Challenging

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