A Made-Up Supreme Court Rule Rigs Election Law for Republicans

 







May 21, 2026
The Purcell principle is a legal concept in U.S. election law that dictates federal courts should not alter state voting rules, district maps, or election procedures too close to an election. That is, unless you’re a Republican state. Marc Elias breaks down the contradictory nature of the Supreme Court when it comes to using Purcell, and what this means for the redistricting fight ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Subscribe to our free newsletters or upgrade to support our work: https://bit.ly/42wcKUC 00:00 The Frenzy to Redraw Maps Before 2026 03:06 Louisiana's Emergency Redistricting Gambit 07:14 Kavanaugh's Purcell Ruling and Its Double Standard 13:04 2020 Pandemic Voting and the Goalposts Shift 18:20 The Supreme Court Picks Its Winners 22:45 Why Purcell Is Made Up and Must Go 27:02 Don't Give Up on the Courts Democracy Docket is the leading digital news platform covering voting rights and elections in the courts — from an unapologetically pro-democracy and independent standpoint. Covering election and voting litigation is central to our mission. But today’s battles over democracy — access to voting, gerrymandering, executive overreach, the rule of law and more — also play out in Congress, in the Trump administration and in states around the country. As Trump and his GOP allies work to dismantle our democracy, we’re committed to exposing the threats through in-depth reporting and expert analysis you won't find anywhere else. Catch up on our latest reporting: https://www.democracydocket.com/ Sign up for our free newsletters: https://bit.ly/42wcKUC Follow us: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/democracydoc... X: https://x.com/DemocracyDocket Facebook:   / democracydocket   Instagram:   / democracydocket   Reddit:   / democracydocket   TikTok:   / democracydocket  

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