The Illinois Supreme Court concluded [opinion] on Thursday that placing a redistricting proposal on the ballot this fall would be unconstitutional. The proposal would have transferred legislative mapmaking [WP report] power to an independent commission and had the backing of approximately 563,000 signatures because many argue that the mapmaking process in the state is too political. Ballot initiatives may only be used for amendments directed at “structural and procedural subjects” that pertain to the state’s legislative branch and the court concluded [Chicago Tribune report] that the proposal went beyond this narrow scope.

Voting rights remain a controversial legal issue in the US. Last month, Michigan Attorney General spokesman John Sellek said [JURIST report] that Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Secretary of State Ruth Johnson plan to appeal an injunction on the state’s law eliminating straight-ticket voting. Also last month, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Diane Larsen blocked [JURIST report] a ballot measure proposing an amendment to the Illinois Constitution that aimed to eliminate the General Assembly’s power to draw legislative district boundaries. In June, a three-judge panel upheld [JURIST report] North Carolina’s newly drawn congressional districts. In May, the US Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] that Republic congressmen from Virginias lack standing to appeal a decision regarding an election district plan for Virginia’s Third Congressional District.