Lawsuit challenges North Carolina Senate districts as diluting Black voter power
A lawsuit filed on Monday alleges that newly redrawn district boundaries for the North Carolina state Senate divide predominantly Black counties in a way that dilutes the power of Black residents. The lawsuit, filed against the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the president of the state Senate, and Speaker of the state House of Representatives, claims that the new Senate districts violate the Voting Rights Act.
The lawsuit contends that despite ample evidence of racially polarized voting and a history of discrimination in the ‘Black Belt counties’ of northeastern North Carolina, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted a Senate plan that unlawfully deprives Black voters of the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.
The lawsuit also claims that the redistricting plan is just the most recent episode in the state’s history of racial discrimination and race-based voter suppression. The newly approved redrawn maps in the state’s lower chamber could also potentially flip multiple seats, giving Republicans a big advantage in 2024.
The North Carolina Supreme Court previously struck down the maps, contending they went against the state constitution’s ban against extensive partisan gerrymandering. However, the decision was overruled by the state Supreme Court, which found that claims of partisan gerrymandering can’t be resolved by state courts.
In the state Senate lawsuit, the plaintiffs argue that the redrawn maps restrict Black voters in an already highly polarized region and dilute the power of their votes compared to white voters in the new districts. North Carolina’s eight majority Black counties are split between four separate districts under the new Senate redistricting plan.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys have filed a motion to expedite proceedings, asking the court to finish arguments and decide on a motion for a preliminary injunction by December 1. The plaintiffs argue that the Legislature could have created a majority-minority district that would meet the law’s requirements and adhere to the state’s redistricting criteria in a way that wouldn’t hinder the state’s Black voters.
“Black North Carolinians, including in the Black Belt counties, are significantly more likely to be impoverished than white North Carolinians,” the plaintiffs in the suit said. “They likewise face discrimination in education, housing, employment, and healthcare, and are less able to participate effectively in the political process.”
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.