Skip to Main Content
Prof. Justin Levitt's Doug Spencer's Guide to Drawing the Electoral Lines
Alaska | State Upper | State Lower

In the Matter of the 2021 Redistricting Cases (was Wilson v. Alaska Redistricting Bd.)

Last Updated May 17, 2023
Case No. 3AN-21-08869CI (Alaska Super. Ct.); Nos. S-18275, S-18303, S-18328, S-18329, S-18330, S-18332, S-18419 (Alaska Sup. Ct.)
Cycle 2020

Featured Content

Highlighted documents

Case Information

A state court challenge to the state legislative redistricting maps.

The original complaint alleged process violations and violations of state constitutional protections for contiguity and communities of interest.  On Dec. 15, 2021, four other challenges (City of Skagway, City of Valdez, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, and Calista Corporation) to the 2021 redistricting maps were consolidated with Wilson.

On Feb. 15, 2022, the trial court found violations with respect to the process (including public hearing and open meetings requirements) and substance surrounding House Districts 3 and 4 and Senate District K, but rejected other challenges.   On appeal, on Mar. 25, 2022, the state Supreme Court rejected the challenges to House Districts 3 and 4, but affirmed the trial court’s ruling determining Senate District K to be a political gerrymander, and found a compactness violation with respect to House District 36.

On Apr. 13, 2022, the Alaska Redistricting Board enacted a revised legislative plan.  The state Senate plan was again challenged; on May 16, 2022, the trial court found that the revised Senate plan was again a partisan gerrymander.  On appeal, on May 24, 2022, the state Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s ruling, and ordered the use of an interim Senate map for the 2022 elections.  On Apr. 21, 2023, the state Supreme Court released a full opinion explaining both of its 2022 summary rulings.

The state Supreme Court remanded proceedings back to the trial court, and on May 15, 2023, the Alaska Redistricting Board enacted the 2022 interim map as its final revised plan.

History

Case filings, starting with most recent court
    Name Last Modified
Document icon Notice re adoption of plan May 17, 2023
    Name Last Modified
Document icon Board's petition for review May 18, 2022
Document icon Girdwood plaintiffs' opposition May 20, 2022
Highlighted document Document icon Order affirming trial ct. May 24, 2022
Highlighted document Document icon Opinion affirming trial ct. Apr 21, 2023
    Name Last Modified
Document icon Board's petition re privilege Jan 18, 2022
Document icon State's opposition Jan 19, 2022
Document icon Calista Corp. et al. opposition Jan 19, 2022
Document icon Mat-Su et al. opposition Jan 19, 2022
Document icon Valdez et al. opposition Jan 19, 2022
Document icon Wilson et al. opposition Jan 19, 2022
Highlighted document Document icon Order denying petition Jan 20, 2022
    Name Last Modified
Document icon Complaint Dec 9, 2021
Document icon Order consolidating cases Dec 14, 2021
Motion to dismiss [Document not yet available] Dec 21, 2021
Document icon Matanuska-Susitna et al. opposition to MTD Dec 27, 2021
Document icon Valdez et al. opposition to MTD Dec 27, 2021
Document icon Wilson et al. opposition to MTD Dec 27, 2021
Document icon Board's reply in support of MTD Dec 29, 2021
Document icon Order denying MTD Jan 12, 2022
Document icon Valdez et al. amd. complaint Dec 29, 2021
Document icon Skagway et al. amd. complaint Dec 29, 2021
Document icon Wilson et al. motion re atty-client privilege Jan 7, 2022
Board's opposition [Document not yet available] Jan 13, 2022
Document icon Matanuska-Susitna et al. reply Jan 14, 2022
Document icon Valdez et al. reply Jan 14, 2022
Document icon Wilson et al. reply Jan 14, 2022
Highlighted document Document icon Order re privilege Jan 18, 2022
Document icon Further order re privilege Jan 22, 2022

Map | Challenged state leg. plan (Nov. 2021)

Download Data

Shapefile GeoJSON PDF

Map | State leg. plan on remand (Apr. 2022)

Download Data

Shapefile GeoJSON PDF

Map | Interim state Senate plan (May 2022)

Download Data

Shapefile GeoJSON PDF

Additional Cases

(consolidated) State court challenge to state legislative maps: alleged violations of state constitution, VRA
Cycle 2020
(consolidated) State court challenge to state legislative maps: alleged malapportionment, violations of state constitution
Cycle 2020
(consolidated) State court challenge to state legislative maps: alleged violations of state constitution
Cycle 2020
(consolidated) State court challenge to state legislative maps: alleged violations of state constitution
Cycle 2020