Campaign Watch: New Legislative Districts Ordered by Sept. 1
The NC General Assembly has until September 1 to redraw legislative district lines in accordance with a federal District Court ruling. That’s the word last week from a special three-judge panel which issued its ruling on how long legislators have for what may be their last chance to draw constitutional district lines themselves.
The same judges had ordered the General Assembly to draw new districts almost a full year ago, but in the months since legislators did nothing but appeal, delay, and make excuses for their inaction. Yet in court week before last, their attorney asked for another three and a half months to act.
Arguing for a much shorter deadline, witnesses for the parties who challenged the unconstitutional maps pointed out that the absence of approved maps has made it difficult for potential candidates to evaluate the possibility of campaigns challenging the incumbents. Plus, while map lines remain in flux, potential challengers need to postpone publicly campaigning or fundraising. Otherwise, the very legislators they wish to challenge can still manipulate district lines to draw the homes of known challengers into unfavorable districts.
In the end, the Court imposed a tight time frame as plaintiffs requested, but ruled out special elections before next year. For more comments on the Court’s order, plus a detailed timeline of the legislature’s gerrymandering in this case, visit our friends at NC Policy Watch.
Now, we wait to see what manipulations the General Assembly’s secretive redistricting process will throw up for consideration next. At its special session last week, the legislature set a new time frame for its action. Instead of coming back September 6 as had been originally planned, the legislature will reconvene on August 18. A public hearing on proposed new legislative maps is planned for August 22, with a vote tentatively expected on August 24.
