General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This gerrymandering HAS GOT TO STOP! ( The 20 Most Gerrymandered Congressional Districts) [View all]Bibliovore
(185 posts)When Texas's Republicans redistricted in 2003, just two years after the post-census 2001 redistricting, it went to court, and eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court, which issued an opinion saying states may redistrict as often as desired.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Texas_redistricting#2006_Supreme_Court_review
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=000&invol=05-204
In other words, unless it would violate a state-specific law or constitution, states don't have to wait until the next census to redistrict. (Thanks, Republicans....)
Personally, I would love to see a national law requiring districts to be drawn by computer to meet Voting Rights Act standards and be as compact as geography allows, using software whose source code is open for any and all to review. That'd nip gerrymandering in the (wildly overgrown) bud.