NC county leaders win case at US Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Pender County commissioners who sued the state of North Carolina over redistricting.

Monday, the court ruled that a federal civil rights law does not require North Carolina to draw legislative districts in which black residents comprise less than half the voting-age population.

The justices said in a 5-4 decision that such gerrymandering is required only if a district has a numerical majority of black voters.

Current and former county commissioners originally sued in 2004, after lawmakers redrew district lines and split the county based on racial makeup.