Arguments to be made before justices Tuesday
By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday about why legislative districts in Arizona have unequal population — and whether that matters legally.
Republican interests as well as two state GOP officials want the justices to conclude that the Independent Redistricting Commission acted illegally when it drew the lines in 2011 for all of the elections for this decade. They point out that some of the 30 districts have more residents than others.
That point is not in dispute. Even the commission’s lawyers concede that there is an 8.8 percent difference in population between the largest and smallest.