Federal Court Orders NC To Hastily Redraw Partisan District Map (Video)

As Democrats begin to reclaim seats, and Republicans resign their positions like rats fleeing a sinking ship, it’s looking as though the prospect of turning Congress back over the Democrats next year is increasingly likely.

Another good sign recently came out of battleground state North Carolina.

On Tuesday, federal judges ruled that since North Carolina’s congressional district map disproportionately favors Republicans, the state’s Republican-controlled General Assembly must hastily redraw its 13 districts.

The three-judge panel determined the previous map violates the 14th Amendment‘s Equal Protection Clause, the First Amendment, and Article I of the Constitution.

The state now has three weeks to file a new plan to be settled before 2018 midterm elections.

In 2016, judges determined two districts were drawn to intentionally disenfranchise Black voters.

Fourth US Circuit Court of Appeals Judge James A. Wynn wrote in the recent majority opinion:

 “Partisan gerrymandering runs contrary to numerous fundamental democratic principles and individual rights.”

Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of the North Carolina GOP, fired back with a tweet:

“This is a hostile takeover of the #NCGA and legislative bodies across the US. It is incredibly disappointing activist Judge Jim Wynn is waging a personal, partisan war on North Carolina Republicans.”

Democratic party Chairman Wayne Goodwin said:

“Today’s ruling is a major victory for North Carolina and people across the state whose voices were silenced by Republicans’ unconstitutional attempts to rig the system to their partisan advantage.”

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder praised the court.

In a National Democratic Redistricting Foundation statement, he said:

“Today’s ruling was just the latest example of the courts telling state legislators in North Carolina that citizens should be able to pick their representatives, instead of politicians picking their voters.”

In recent North Carolina elections, results have been nearly split along party lines, but Republicans control 10 U.S. House seats and the tenth largest delegation in Congress.
Democrats hold three House seats.

This is about more than North Carolina, though.

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a redistricting case from Wisconsin, and is expected in the near future to also hear a complaint from Maryland Republicans.

 

Image credit: click2houston.com

Ted Millar is writer and teacher. His work has been featured in myriad literary journals, including Better Than Starbucks, The Broke Bohemian, Straight Forward Poetry, Caesura, Circle Show, Cactus Heart, Third Wednesday, and The Voices Project. He is also a contributor to The Left Place blog on Substack, and Medium.