Supreme Court Removes The Stay On Judge Matthews Order To Use Option 2 for 2022 Election - Board Meeting 3pm Today

 From the end of the Supreme Court's order today:

What does this mean?  

Basically, the Alaska Supreme Court agrees that the Redistricting Board Majority unconstitutionally gerrymandered for a second time in an attempt to give Eagle River residents two seats at the expense of other Anchorage districts.  The removed the stay on Judge Matthews' order which had called for:

•  That map Option 2 be used for the 2022 election (this is the map that was proposed by the East Anchorage plaintiffs.  It combines the two Eagle River house seats into one Senate seat.  It pairs the JBER/Govt Hill house seat with downtown Anchorage - and adjusts a couple other north Anchorage house districts to form other Senate pairings to accommodate the gerrymandered pairings.
• Remand to the Board the job of making a final map for the rest of the decade continues STAYED.  (Not sure what that suggests.  That they don't trust the Board to do the right thing the next time round.  

This is a huge rebuke to the Board majority and vindication for the two minority Board members - Melanie Bahnke and Nicole Borromeo who have be strong advocates for a fair process.  

While I was writing this a saw the notice that the Redistricting Board is meeting TODAY at 3PM

TODAY, 3pm  Alaska Redistricting Board Meeting, 

The Alaska Redistricting Board will meet by teleconference on Tuesday, May 24 at 3:00PM.

The public may listen by calling one of the following phone numbers:

 - Anchorage 563-9085

 - Juneau 586-9085

 - Other 844-586-9085

Presumably, when the Board meets again this afternoon, Matt Singer will attempt to explain to the Board what the Court's Order means.   

Why did the Court stay the remand for the Board to set the map for the rest of the decade?  Because they don't trust them to do it right?  Because they want more specific instructions first?  Because they have something else in mind?  

Whoops!  I forgot to add the maps which you can also find here, larger.  

Option 2 - The map submitted by the East Anchorage plaintiffs and which today the Supreme Court said this is the map to be used for 2022 Election.  Both Eagle River house districts are in one Senate seat.  

Option 3B - Submitted by Randy Ruedrich and chosen by the Redistricting Board and thrown out by the courts.  This map paired the two Eagle River districts with other districts - one with JBER/Govt Hill and the other with South Anchorage/Hillside.