Blow to Republicans as supreme court denies bid to overturn electoral maps

A protester at a ‘fair maps’ rally in March 2019. The justices ruled 6-3 on Monday not to block the new North Carolina maps from going into effect. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters

The US supreme court has rejected requests from Republicans in North Carolina and Pennsylvania to overturn electoral maps imposed by the state supreme court in both places that make elections more competitive.

A majority of the justices ruled on Monday not to block the new North Carolina maps from going into effect, with justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas saying they would have paused the state supreme court’s ruling.