Court Upholds Controversial NC District Maps

The State Supreme Court on Friday upheld the voting maps drawn by Republican leaders in 2011, months after taking control of the General Assembly.

A group of voters and voting rights activists had sued to have the districts declared invalid. But the court found the districts did not violate the plaintiff's rights.

The maps have drawn the ire of critics on both the right and the left, who consider the oddly-drawn districts to be gerrymandered in favor of Republican candidates and leave voters with fewer choices.

The State Supreme Court heard the case in January, and on Friday released its 4 to 2 decision in favor of the districts as they are drawn.

The two Democrats on the court, Cheri Beasley and Robin Hudson, dissented. Beasley wrote that race appeared to be a predominant factor in how some districts were drawn, which would make them invalid. Beasley pointed to the U.S. 12^th as an example, describing it as "an excruciatingly contorted race-based district."

The district runs along a narrow ribbon of precincts from Greensboro to Charlotte along Interstate 85 and the majority of its voting-age population is black.

In a joint statement, the two main redistricting leaders – Sen. Bob Rucho and Rep. David Lewis – say the ruling confirms that the process to draw the maps was fair and legal.

Opponents vow to continue the fight against the redrawn districts.