Lawsuit Launches The Most Comprehensive Challenge Yet
Last week, North Carolina voting-rights advocates filed the most comprehensive challenge yet to the extreme gerrymandered election maps. Earlier this year, the Republican-led NC General Assembly produced these maps in secret, leading to multiple lawsuits. This lawsuit, filed by the NC Chapter of NAACP, Common Cause, and individual Black plaintiffs, challenges both the state legislative and Congressional district maps on racial discrimination grounds.
“The General Assembly targeted predominantly Black voting precincts with surgical precision throughout the state in drawing and enacting the 2023 Plans, at the expense of traditional redistricting criteria, to achieve preferred district lines that diminish Black voters’ ability to elect candidates of their choice at all levels of government,” the lawsuit says.
Furthermore, Deborah Maxwell, President of the NAACP North Carolina Conference, says that “lawmakers know what they are doing. They are eroding the power of Black voters – power that was fought for over decades of violent discrimination and suffering. Today, the NAACP stands defiant and proud with its partners, knowing that the will of the people cannot be defeated by the racist tactics of a few politicians.”
“North Carolina legislators have imposed discriminatory voting maps that outrageously attack the rights of Black North Carolinians. Sadly, racist gerrymandering once again plagues our state and harms voters. We must defeat it,” added Bob Phillips, Executive Director of Common Cause North Carolina. “Our voting districts don’t belong to politicians; our districts belong to the people. We must have voting maps that are free from racist gerrymandering and that respect the freedom of all voters.”
Ultimately, the complainants ask the revised district maps be struck down, and new non-discriminatory maps be drawn. Furthermore, they ask the maps be ready for use no later than the 2026 election cycle. Read the full text of the plaintiffs’ legal complaint here.
How To Get Involved
Finally, to have a healthy environment, we need a functioning government. A government that prioritizes people, not political profit. Help us elect more environmental champions who will create a government that works for all North Carolinians!
