51.59—Redistricting plans.
(a) Relevant factors.
In determining whether a submitted redistricting plan has a prohibited purpose or effect the Attorney General, in addition to the factors described above, will consider the following factors (among others):
(1)
The extent to which malapportioned districts deny or abridge the right to vote of minority citizens;
(5)
The extent to which available alternative plans satisfying the jurisdiction's legitimate governmental interests were considered;
(6)
The extent to which the plan departs from objective redistricting criteria set by the submitting jurisdiction, ignores other relevant factors such as compactness and contiguity, or displays a configuration that inexplicably disregards available natural or artificial boundaries; and
(7)
The extent to which the plan is inconsistent with the jurisdiction's stated redistricting standards.
(b) Discriminatory purpose.
A jurisdiction's failure to adopt the maximum possible number of majority-minority districts may not be the sole basis for determining that a jurisdiction was motivated by a discriminatory purpose.