ACLU: Nevada risks violating ‘prison gerrymandering’ law

By SAM METZ
AP / Report for America

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — American Civil Liberties Union attorneys said Friday that if Nevada redraws its political maps without reallocating thousands of inmates to their pre-prison addresses, they risk facing a lawsuit. Nevada has required inmates be counted at their “last known residential address” for redistricting purposes since 2019. Prison officials said last week that difficulties verifying addresses prevented them from providing usable data for roughly half the population in custody. The data gap suggests efforts to end a practice that detractors say distorts political maps and voting power won’t be realized. The threat of a lawsuit could complicate the redistricting process expected to take place this month.