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Tennesseans file suit over two redistricting maps drawn by GOP

The latest proposed Congressional district map splits Davidson County in three with a slight change to District 9 which includes Memphis.
Courtesy House Select Committee Redistricting
The latest proposed Congressional district map splits Davidson County in three with a slight change to District 9 which includes Memphis.

Three Tennesseans have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Bill Lee over the redistricting process.

In the complaint, filed Wednesday afternoon, the plaintiffs say the state House and Senate maps were drawn largely out of view of the public, and without input from elected Democrats. 

The trio claim the General Assembly and the governor ignored the Constitution by dividing more counties than necessary in the House maps, and numbering state Senate districts non-consecutively. 

The Tennessee Democratic Party has agreed to pay all fees associated with the litigation.

In a statement, Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus accused Republican legislators of violating the law while “gerrymandering” the state. 

“Tennesseans should pick their own representatives and not the other way around,” said Remus. 

The state’s new congressional map dividing Nashville into three more Republican-leaning districts is not included in the lawsuit. 

Republican leaders have said they followed the law while drawing new political boundaries.

This is a developing story.

Julia joined KUER in 2016 after a year reporting at the NPR member station in Reno, Nev. During her stint, she covered battleground politics, school overcrowding, and any story that would take her to the crystal blue shores of Lake Tahoe. Her work earned her two regional Edward R. Murrow awards. Originally from the mountains of Western North Carolina, Julia graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2008 with a degree in journalism. She’s worked as both a print and radio reporter in several states and several countries — from the 2008 Beijing Olympics to Dakar, Senegal. Her curiosity about the American West led her to take a spontaneous, one-way road trip to the Great Basin, where she intends to continue preaching the gospel of community journalism, public radio and podcasting. In her spare time, you’ll find her hanging with her beagle Bodhi, taking pictures of her food and watching Patrick Swayze movies.
Blaise Gainey is a Political Reporter for WPLN News. He is the youngest of three siblings, husband and father of two. He previously held the State Government Reporter position for WFSU News in Tallahassee. He is from Apopka, Fla., and graduated from The School of Journalism at the Florida A&M University. He previously worked for The Florida Channel and WTXL-TV. He is excited to move to another capital and report on state government. In his spare time, he enjoys watching sports, outdoor activities and enjoying family time.
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