Lawmakers unconstitutionally used race when they drew legislative boundaries for state House and Senate members, a panel of three federal judges ruled Thursday afternoon.
The ruling is the latest federal ruling tossing out district lines drawn by North Carolina lawmakers, and appears to mirror a decision earlier this year that rejected lines drawn for members of the U.S. House.
"Therefore, we hereby order the North Carolina General Assembly to draw remedial districts in their next legislative session to correct the constitutional deficiencies in the Enacted Plans," the court wrote.
WRAL
This does not affect the 2016 election. The representatives elected this year will have to draw new districts for the 2018 election.
But is still “Holy Cow”!
UPDATE:
The ruling was unanimous by the three judges. One judge was appointed by Clinton, one by Bush and one by Obama.
The NC constitution has a “Whole County Provision” which says that districts MUST miminmize the transversing of county lines.
This provision was mostly not followed in the 2011 (and earlier redistricting) because the Federal Voting Rights Act took precedence.
All eyes will be on the redistricting process (we have an excellent chance to control the NC Supreme Court after 2016) next year.
The NCGA will try to use census information from 2011, but it will still be difficult to draw the districts without significant increases in Democratic gains.
Thanks to “a gilias girl” for the image.