Courses | Columbia Law School

This course will introduce students to the law, politics, and technology of the redistricting process. In addition to the applicable caselaw, students will learn the relevant provisions of the Voting Rights Act, state statutes, and the U.S. and state constitutions. With the professor's supervision, students will draft redistricting plans for one or more states throughout the semester. In order to learn the technology, it is an absolutely essential prerequisite for the class that enrolled students attend a two-day training session at the beginning of the semester. It is also strongly recommended that students wishing to take this course also have taken or take concurrently "L6474 Advanced Constitutional Law: Law and the Political Process." Interested students should take a look at www.drawcongress.org to get a sense of the written product for the class.

Admission to L6405 Redistricting and Gerrymandering is by instructor permission. Interested students should email Professor Persily (npersi@law.columbia.edu) to indicate their interest. Admission will ordinarily be granted but Professor Persily would like to ensure that students fully understand the workload and unique nature of the class. Students also must include confirmation that they will attend the required training session at the beginning of the semester.