A three-judge panel has ordered the N.C. General Assembly to redraw racially-gerrymandered legislative maps by September 1, 2017, with the possibility for an extension to September 15.
In the order, the judges reaffirmed the legislature’s right to “draw new districts itself,” but disregarded its leadership’s plans for a November deadline, stating “We agree with Plaintiffs that the General Assembly already has had ample time to enact a remedial redistricting plan.”
“[C]onstitutionally adequate districts should be enacted as quickly as possible to protect the rights of North Carolina citizens.” –U.S. District Court for the Middle District of NC
The court added, “constitutionally adequate districts should be enacted as quickly as possible to protect the rights of North Carolina citizens and to minimize any chilling effect on political participation attributable to the continued absence of a districting plan in the face of a finding of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.”
Twenty-eight North Carolina State House and Senate districts were deemed unconstitutional racial gerrymanders in 2016 by a federal court, a ruling affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year. Newly-drawn districts could impact more than half of the state.
The judges today also denied plaintiffs’ requests for special elections under the new maps. At the earliest, North Carolina voters will cast ballots in new legislative districts in November 2018.