RALEIGH, N.C. —The fate of North Carolina's political districts is yet again in the hands of the judicial system. Over the next few days, a trio of state court judges will decide whether the legislature's newest set of maps is a good enough replacement for the previous ones, recently ruled unconstitutional.
States are only supposed to draw new political districts once every 10 years, after each new Census. But because the legislature has lost so many gerrymandering lawsuits recently, this would be North Carolina's fourth version of congressional maps — and fifth version of state legislative districts — in just the last six years.
Lawmakers passed the newest maps late last week, in a mix of votes that were sometimes bipartisan and sometimes fiercely divided along party lines. Analysis from recent election results show the maps will likely still be Republican-leaning, but less so than the old maps, and could give Democrats more chances to win.
