The bipartisan battle in America to pass the popular vote.
In response to Republicans in Texas trying to change the electoral map early in their favor, Democrats in California and New York are plotting a counterattack.
In recent days, the Republican-led state of Texas has taken steps to redraw its electoral districts, a move that is said to increase the number of Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives by five seats.
This early redrawing of the maps — called “redistricting” — is usually done every ten years, after the national census. But Texas is planning to hold a special session in the middle of the decade, outside of the usual cycle, to approve a new map designed to favor Republicans.
In response, Democrats in two populous, mostly blue states—California and New York—have said they are prepared to target Republican seats in their states with similar changes if Texas implements such a plan. The governors of the two states, Gavin Newsom in California and Kathy Hookwell in New York, have said they will not let this “one-sided game” by Republicans go unanswered.
The states, which are heavily controlled by Democrats, are trying to redress the balance by eliminating Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. But the move faces complex legal hurdles.