A panel of federal judges ruled Friday that North Carolina lawmakers used racial gerrymandering to draw at least two of the state's thirteen congressional districts. According to The News & Observer, the order from the three judges bars elections in the 1st and 12th congressional districts, leaving many to wonder about the March primary.
From The News & Observer:
"The lawsuit decided on Friday is one of several challenging the maps in federal and state court. Friday’s ruling was strongly worded in discounting the legislature’s claims that race played no part in drawing the new maps, saying the redistricting had fundamentally affected citizens’ rights to vote. “The record is replete with statements indicating that race was the legislature’s paramount concern,” the ruling says."
The court has given the state legislature two weeks to redraw the two districts, which some political analysts say will require the tweaking of surrounding districts as well.
State lawmakers are finalizing an appeal, which will likely be filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday. Additionally, lawmakers are asking the high court to issue a stay on the lower court's ruling.
Read the full report from The News & Observer.
Read the federal court's full opinion here.
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