A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of new political boundaries for Hawaii will be heard in federal court.

State Rep. Mark Takai and five other Hawaii voters on Friday sued the state Reapportionment Commission and chief elections officer, claiming the approved redistricting plan is unconstitutional and discriminatory as it removed more than 100,000 military personnel, their dependents and out-of-state university students from political district populations. Four of the six plaintiffs are military personnel or veterans.

The suit seeks to prevent the State Office of Elections “from implementing the 2012 reapportionment plan, including, but not limited to conducting elections.” It wants a new plan drawn up that uses the Census resident population as a basis.

U.S. District Judge Michael Seabright issued an order Tuesday (April 10) granting the plaintiffs’ request for a three-judge panel to hear the case. 

—Nanea Kalani