“GERRYMANDER STANDARD” WRITING COMPETITION [DEADLINE: MAR. 27, 2016]
Topic: Papers that will identify partisan gerrymanders and distinguish them from districts drawn using neutral redistricting principles while developing legal theories or arguments that could be used by courts to declare partisan gerrymanders unconstitutional. This year, we are asking authors to focus specifically on the First Amendment issue in Shapiro v. McManus and Whitford v. Nichol to demonstrate why the drawing of Maryland’s congressional districts or Wisconsin’s Assembly districts is a partisan gerrymander that should be condemned under the First Amendment.
Awards: All will be eligible for publication in an academic journal.
- The author(s) of the top submission will receive $5,000
- 2nd place will receive $3,000
- 3rd place will receive $2,000
If more than one author submits a winning paper, prize money will be divided between them.
Submission guidelines: commoncause.org/issues/voting-and-elections/redistricting/writing-competition.pdf
- Send to: contest@commoncause.org
Complete details: Available @ commoncause.org/gerrymanderstandard
Contact: If you have any questions, contact Dan Vicuna @ 213.623.1216 or contest@commoncause.org