Connecticut

Primary responsibility for Connecticut’s congressional and state legislative lines rests with the state legislature, which may pass a plan on a vote of 2/3 of the members of each legislative chamber. [Conn. Const. art. III, § 6]

If the legislature fails to pass a plan, those lines will be drawn by a nine-member backup commission, in place since 1976.  Each of the four legislative leaders (majority and minority leader in each legislative house) chooses two commissioners, and those eight commissioners choose a ninth, who must be an elector of the state. [Conn. Const. art. III, § 6]  The backup commissioners for the 2020 cycle are listed here.

Original jurisdiction to challenge a redistricting plan, or to rectify inaction, in state court is vested with the Connecticut Supreme Court. [Conn. Const. art. III, § 6]

The legislature’s deadline for producing plans is Sept. 15, 2021.  If the legislature fails to pass a plan, the backup commission will be convened, and must provide a plan by Nov. 30, 2021.  [Conn. Const. art. III, § 6]  The deadline for candidates to file for congressional and state legislative primary elections was June 7, 2022. [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-400(a)]

Connecticut prohibits redrawing lines mid-decade, before the next Census. [Conn. Const. art. III, § 6]

Information about the meetings and hearings held by the legislature, backup commission, and Connecticut Supreme Court in the 2020 cycle can be found here.  Meeting and hearing information is also available for the 2010 cycle and 2000 cycle.

Like all states, Connecticut must comply with constitutional equal population requirements and abide by the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rules on race.

For state legislative lines, the state constitution further requires that districts be contiguous, and that state House districts not divide towns except where necessary to comply with other legal requirements. [Conn. Const. art. III, § 4; Fonfara v. Reapportionment Comm’n, 222 Conn. 166 (1992)]  For state legislative lines, a 2021 state law also requires incarcerated individuals to be counted at their last known residence. [Conn. Gen. Stat. 9-169h]

The legislature did not enact legislative or congressional maps by the Sept. 15, 2021 deadline.  On Sept. 20, 2021, eight members of the backup redistricting commission were appointed.  These members then selected the ninth member to serve on the commission.

The state supreme court granted the commission’s petition to extend the deadline for drawing congressional maps from Nov. 30, 2021 to Dec. 21, 2021. [In re Petition of Reapportionment Comm’n, No. 210153 (Conn. S. Ct., Dec. 9, 2021)]  The backup commission could not agree on a congressional map by this extended deadline.  On Dec. 23, 2021, the state supreme court appointed a special master to draw a congressional plan, and on Feb. 10, 2022, the court adopted the congressional plan. [In re Petition of Reapportionment Comm’n Ex Rel, 268 A.3d 1185 (Conn. 2022)]

The commission adopted the state House district maps on Nov. 18, 2021 and adopted state Senate district maps on Nov. 23, 2021.  It appears that these plans were not challenged in court.

Neither Connecticut’s legislature nor its backup commission could agree on a congressional plan; the state Supreme Court approved congressional lines on Feb. 10, 2012.  [In re Petition of Reapportionment Comm’n, 36 A.3d 661 (Conn. 2012)]

Connecticut’s legislature also could not agree on a state legislative plan.  On Nov. 30, 2011, the backup commission approved state Senate and state House maps.  Challenges to these plans were voluntarily dismissed.

Connecticut’s legislature could not agree on any plan.  The backup commission adopted congressional districts on Dec. 21, 2001; state Senate districts on Nov. 26, 2001, and state House districts on Nov. 30, 2001.  It appears that none of the plans were challenged in court.