The state high court had ruled that the existing boundaries were unconstitutional in that they were examples of partisan gerrymandering. The court had given the legislature and the governor a short timeframe for redrawing the maps. The legislature drew new maps, but the governor, a Democrat, vetoed them. Not enough time was left before the court-imposed deadline, and so the members of the court drew the maps themselves, taking input from members of the state's two major political parties. One of the newly drawn districts is a Democratic stronghold that the Republican-led legislature had proposed dividing in two.

Republicans in the legislature have announced an intention to challenge the new maps. The U.S. Supreme Court has previously refused to hear a challenge to the state high court's initial ruling, on the grounds that it was a matter for the state high court and its interpretation of the state constitution.