Voting districts before judges
BY LYNN BONNER
A three-judge panel tasked with deciding the fate of the state's Republican-drawn voting districts heard arguments from lawyers representing both political parties on Friday.
At issue was how quickly a lawsuit challenging the districts should go to trial, a decision that could determine whether next year's primary election stays on track.
Lawyers for those challenging the districts argued for an ambitious schedule that would have a trial beginning in early February. The tight schedule would allow enough time to have the primary on May 8 as planned, they said.
A state lawyer defending the maps said the proposed plan was unrealistic. It didn't include time for a state Supreme Court appeal, for example, or time for the legislature to redraw districts if judges found problems, said Alexander Peters, a special deputy Attorney General.
The three Superior Court judges, Paul Ridgeway of Wake, Alma Hinton of Halifax and Joseph Crosswhite of Iredell, did not announce a decision Friday.
But Ridgeway sounded a note of skepticism at the tight schedule, saying challengers had set out "an extraordinary timetable for trial."
Four nonprofits and Democratic elected officials and voters are suing over the Republican-drawn legislative and congressional districts, saying they unconstitutionally divide counties and racially segregate voters.
The three-judge panel will help determine whether the state could use district plans that give Republicans the opportunity to add to their legislative majority and win more congressional seats.
Peters argued that the only way to have an orderly election is to use the new, approved plans next year. Using the new plans would give the courts enough time for trial, appeals, and for the legislature redraw plans, if necessary, for the 2014 elections. The new plans are presumed to be constitutional unless the courts rule otherwise, Peters argued.
Challengers laid out some of the details of their case, saying that the map-makers split an unprecedented number of precincts in order to create black districts and white districts. More than 2 million people live in those split precincts, they said, and all the splits will confuse voters.
"It would be a stain on North Carolina for us to have an election under these maps," said Adam Stein, a lawyer for the challengers.
Bonner: 919-829-4821
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