From The News & Observer: Stanford law professor could help draw NC legislative districts
Republicans in Raleigh just won’t let go of the same voter suppression tactics they have been using for years to secure their power. After the Supreme Court ruled that the legislative maps in North Carolina were unconstitutional Republican legislators redrew the maps, which are just more of the same unfair tactics. Now the federal judges who are tasked with approving the new maps are raising some questions. They have serious concerts that 9 of the new districts are just more of the same unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. The judges have now appointed a special master to advise on the maps and possibly redraw them more fairly. The people of North Carolina deserve fair maps, an equal voice, and a restoration of our democracy.
Federal judges announced their plans on Thursday to ask a Stanford University law professor to look at nine North Carolina legislative districts as they weigh the constitutionality of election maps adopted in August.
The news came in an order filed in federal court by the three-judge panel asked to decide whether the new maps correct 28 districts drawn in 2011 and later found to be unconstitutional racial gerrymanders.
The judges raised questions about seven state House districts and two state Senate districts that “either fail to remedy the identified constitutional violation or are otherwise legally unacceptable.” One Senate district was in Guilford County; the other was in Hoke and Cumberland counties. The House districts were in Wake County, Mecklenburg County and Guilford County.
The judges had asked attorneys for the Republican lawmakers and the voters challenging the new maps to work together to come up with a list of three people they could agree on to take on the map drawing if the judges decided the court should wade into the redistricting process.But the attorneys informed the judges last week that they could not agree on any names.Read more
