The US Supreme Court refused Thursday to set limits on an ancient but questionable practice in American democracy: the subtle art of crafting electoral districts to favor the party in power. The top court, which has punted on the issue several times before, refused to invalidate two electoral maps — one in North Carolina criticized as too favorable to Republicans, the other in Maryland that benefits Democrats. The decision was approved by a slender majority: five conservative justices ruled that it was not the court’s place to involve itself in this political question.
