Voters’ attorneys want new congressional maps drawn now
Published 2:54 pm Tuesday, February 9, 2016
RALEIGH (AP) — Attorneys for voters who sued to strike down two of North Carolina’s congressional districts want a federal court to keep demanding new boundaries by the end of next week.
The lawyers filed a response Tuesday to the state of North Carolina’s request to delay the court’s order for new lines to be drawn. The state says absentee voting has already started for the March 15 primary and drawing new lines now would be confusing.
The voters’ attorneys argue millions of residents were forced to cast ballots in racially gerrymandered districts in 2012 and 2014 and would suffer irreparable damages if they must do so again.
A panel of judges last week found the 1st and 12th Districts unconstitutional because lawmakers relied too much on race in drawing them.
