Texas Supreme Court Blocks Galveston County's Mid-Election Redistricting Maps
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled to block Galveston County's new redistricting maps from being used in the upcoming November election. The court determined that the county lacked the legal authority to implement such changes mid-election, stating that the general power to redraw precinct lines does not extend to altering them after an election cycle has commenced. This decision means the maps approved by county commissioners in June, which had drawn criticism for potentially impacting minority votes and disrupting communities, cannot be used this year. The court's opinion clarified that while a commissioners court has the constitutional power to redraw precincts 'from time to time,' the Texas Election Code considers a primary and its corresponding general election as effectively 'one election.' Therefore, changing maps between these two phases is not authorized without an overriding state or federal law. This ruling leaves the county free to implement the maps for the next full cycle in 2028, unless a fed...
