After what has been a long-run battle in the courtroom, three federal judges held that North Carolina’s current division of congressional districts unconstitutionally favors Republican candidates. The state may be required to redraw their congressional districts before the November 2018 elections. Given the condensed timeline of such an undertaking, state legislators are likely to request assistance from the Supreme Court to help execute a plan that does not violate constitutional standards.
Similar gerrymandering allegations are being dealt with in Ohio, as a panel of federal judges recently ruled in favor of a lawsuit against Republican officials. A group of Democratic voters proved that they have standing to challenge “a 2011 redistricting statute that the GOP used to redraw maps, arguing that it gave unfair advantage to Republicans at the expense of Democrats.”
