Federal judges find NC legislative districts unconstitutional (x-posted from LBN)
LBN thread: Federal judges find NC legislative districts unconstitutional
Source: Charlotte Observer
AUGUST 11, 2016 3:33 PM
Federal judges find NC legislative districts unconstitutional
BY LYNN BONNER
RALEIGH - The map that has twice been used to elect the North Carolina General Assembly is unconstitutional because many of the districts are racially gerrymandered, a panel of federal judges ruled Thursday.
Elections can proceed this year, the judges said in their order, because postponing the election would cause undue disruption. But the legislature must redraw the districts in the next legislative session for use in 2018.
The judges concluded that the overriding priority of the redistricting plan was to draw a predetermined, race-based number of districts.
The defendants have not shown that their use of race to draw any of these districts was narrowly tailored to further a compelling state interest, the opinion said.
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http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article95087442.html