Moore v. Harper

Background

Voters and civic groups sued over North Carolina’s 2021 congressional map, saying the legislature drew lines to advantage one party. A state trial court initially found such claims nonjusticiable, but the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed, struck down the 2021 map, and ordered remedial steps. The State legislators asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review whether the Federal Constitution’s Elections Clause gives state legislatures sole control over federal election rules.

Reasoning

The U.S. Supreme Court said the Elections Clause does not free state legislatures from ordinary state law limits or from state-court review. The Court described earlier decisions and historical practice showing that when legislatures make laws, they do so under their state constitutions and remain subject to state judicial review. At the same time the Court warned state courts may not arrogate legislative power and federal courts retain a role to ensure federal rights are respected. The Court did not decide whether the North Carolina Supreme Court overstepped in this case.

Real world impact

The decision means state courts can apply state constitutional rules when reviewing how legislatures set times, places, and procedures for federal elections. State legislatures remain bound by their own constitutions when making federal election rules, and federal courts can still review state-court interpretations if they improperly displace legislative authority. The ruling leaves some questions open about how far state courts may go in redrawing or rejecting legislative maps.

Dissents or concurrances

Justice Kavanaugh wrote a short concurrence stressing deferential federal review of state-law interpretations. Justice Thomas (joined by Justice Gorsuch and partly by Justice Alito) dissented, arguing the case was moot after the North Carolina Supreme Court later dismissed the claims.