Question

Why did the US Department of Justice (DOJ) file a lawsuit against the new district

maps passed by the Texas Legislature in 2021?

a) The DOJ argued that the maps were submitted too late to allow for a full
review of their cosequences for representation and therefore could not be
used in the 2022 election cycle.
b) The DOJ argued that the maps did not take into consideration the large
growth in the Latino population in Texas between 2010 and 2020.
c) The DOJ argued that the maps overly favored Libertarian candidates to the
detriment of Republican.or Democratic candidates.
d) The DOJ argued that too many incumbents were placed in districts against
each other which gave an unfair advantage to new candidates and did not
allow those already in office a chance to be reelected if the voters were
happy with them.

Answer 1

The DOJ sued over Texas' new district maps, arguing they disregarded the Latino population growth, which could be a form of gerrymandering that dilutes their voting power. Therefore the correct answer is b) the DOJ argued that the maps did not take into consideration the large growth in the Latino population in Texas between 2010 and 2020.

Step-by-step explanation:

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the new district maps passed by the Texas Legislature in 2021 because the DOJ argued that the maps did not take into consideration the large growth in the Latino population in Texas between 2010 and 2020. The DOJ's concern was that the redrawn districts could potentially dilute the voting power of Latino voters, infringing upon their rights. This action was likely based on a history of gerrymandering practices, through which legislative districts are intentionally drawn to influence electoral outcomes, sometimes at the expense of demographic representation.

Gerrymandering has been a contentious political issue, with instances such as in Texas where district lines were manipulated to decrease the number of Democratic seats by grouping Austin voters with those in distant counties. The objective of gerrymandering is to create a political advantage by diluting the voting strength of opposition party supporters or certain demographic groups, leading to unfair districting known as malapportionment.

Historically, various strategies have been used to combat gerrymandering, such as the establishment of independent commissions in states like California and Arizona to create more equitable and competitively drawn districts. Nevertheless, the ongoing debate and legal challenges continue to form an important aspect of the American electoral landscape.