PolitiFact: Texas (Almost) Never Passed Redistricting
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In this week’s PolitiFact Texas check-in, KUT’s Emily Donahue speaks with the Austin American-Statesman’s Gardner Selby about a comment by State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, a Democrat from San Antonio and chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.
He was talking up the need for the United States Supreme Court to uphold Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, the civil rights legislation that originated in 1965.
Section 5 applies to southern states, including Texas. They must win federal pre-clearance for changes in election procedures – and that includes how they draw congressional and other districts after each census.
Martinez Fischer said that the Texas legislature has never redrawn legislative districts without violating the Voting Rights Act.
We’ll see how Martinez Fischer’s “never” statement stands up to the PolitiFact Truth-O-Meter.
