A federal judge has set a February 2025 trial in the lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s state Senate election map, but it will not impact the fall elections. If plaintiffs win, new Senate districts may be drawn for the 2026 elections. US District Judge James Dever issued an order outlining deadlines for the case Pierce v. North Carolina State Board of Elections. This came after the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals declined to hold a full hearing on an injunction blocking the Senate map. The trial is scheduled to start on February 3, 2025, and last no more than five days.
The lawsuit challenges two state Senate districts in northeastern North Carolina, with plaintiffs claiming unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. Critics argue that the map dilutes Black voting power and violates the Voting Rights Act. Democratic politicians, including Gov. Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein, supported an injunction against the map approved by Republican legislators.
Plaintiffs Rodney Pierce and Moses Matthews, black voters in northeastern North Carolina, are seeking a remedy that would affect only two of the state’s 50 Senate districts. The Republican legislative leaders defending the map argue that the district court correctly rejected an injunction, and every court in the past 30 years has declined to violate the Constitution in redistricting cases.
The case has sparked debate on racial progress in North Carolina and the importance of promoting electoral stability. The trial will provide an opportunity to further explore the legal issues and evidence surrounding the contested Senate districts.
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