26 February 2006

Supreme Court to Vote on Election-Law Cases

LA Times - February 26 2006

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court will take up states' rights — of both the blue- and red-state variety — in a pair of election-law cases to be heard this week that could have a big impact on the future of American politics.

Tiny Vermont, a true blue state, hopes to restore small-town democracy by greatly limiting the role of money in politics. If its new spending caps win before the high court, they could change how campaigns are conducted across the nation.

Meanwhile, Texas, the biggest of the red states, is defending its right to redraw its electoral districts to give its GOP majority more seats in Congress. If its extraordinary mid-decade shift wins in the high court, other states have signaled they will do the same.

The pair of cases will also give strong clues about the court's newest members: Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.

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