Federal lawsuit: Race used illegally for NC redistricting

By MARTHA WAGGONER
Associated Press

RALEIGH, NC (AP) – Twenty-seven plaintiffs have sued the state of North Carolina over legislative redistricting, saying the General Assembly unconstitutionally used race to determine the new lines.

The lawsuit was filed May 19 in US District Court. It seeks a three-judge panel to hear the case and seeks that the court order legislators to redraw nine Senate and 19 House districts in time for next year’s elections.

It says the districts drawn in 2011 are racial gerrymandering that violates the 14th amendment.

Last month, the US Supreme Court threw out a state court ruling that upheld Republican-drawn electoral districts for state and congressional lawmakers.

Republicans who led the 2011 mapmaking committees say they believe the maps are lawful and designed to protect the state from legal claims under the federal Voting Rights Act.

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