US Supreme Court remands redistricting case to determine if state improperly used race as a basis for redistricting lines

Bethune-Hill v. Virginia State Bd. of Elections, No. 15-680 (U.S. March 1, 2017) In this U.S. Supreme Court redistricting case, the Court held the lower courts misapplied the standard for determining whether race was an impermissible factor in redrawing district lines. This
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Dallas Court of Appeals dismisses referendum/mandamus claims against council but allows mandamus claims to go forward to trial against City Secretary

City of Plano, Texas, et al. v. Elizabeth Carruth, et al.  05-16-00573-CV (Tex. App— Dallas, February 23, 2017) This is a referendum case where the Dallas Court of Appeals dismissed all but one of the Plaintiffs’ claims under a plea to the
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Petitioner did not conclusively establish charter amendment petition was valid; but city did not prove it was not valid so case remanded

City of Galena Park, Et Al. v. Barry Ponder, 14-15-00708-CV (Tex.App— Houston [ 14th Dist.] October 25, 2016) In this suit to compel a charter amendment election, the 14th Court of Appeals reversed the granting of a summary judgment which favored the
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Permanent injunction prohibiting city from holding election on red light cameras dissolved

The City of Cleveland et al., v. Keep Cleveland Safe, 09-15-00076-CV (Tex. App—Beaumont, July28, 2016) Plaintiff, Keep Cleveland Safe (“KCS”) filed a petition attempting to stop the City from placing an issue on the ballot for the May 2014 election regarding photographic
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Texas Supreme Court holds once City Secretary certified referendum petition, City Council had ministerial duty to repeal or submit on election ballot regardless of forgery allegations

In Re Jared Woodfill et al, 14-0667 (Tex. July 24, 2015) This is a mandamus action to compel a referendum to repeal the City of Houston’s “equal rights ordinances” be placed on the November ballot. This dispute concerns the duties of the
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