It may be Thursday or Friday before North Carolina’s Legislature releases maps of what the state’s new congressional districts could look like. Lawmakers voted Tuesday to move ahead with criteria for re-drawing the lines after a panel of judges ruled that two districts, the 1st and the 12th, which includes 250,000 people in Mecklenburg County, are unconstitutional because they were drawn along racial lines. The state Redistricting Committee voted Tuesday not to use race as a criteria in drawing the new district lines.
“We believe that race should not be a consideration in drawing the map,” said Representative David Lewis, of Harnett County, a Republican.
But Democrats, including Rep. Edward Hanes of Forsyth County said it is important to have African-Americans represented in Congress. “When it comes to folks who look like me, we want our voices heard,” Hanes said.
Lawmakers have a Friday deadline to come up with new districts that the judges will approve—and just four weeks until the primary election on March 15.
Full Article: NC lawmakers agree to redraw lines for 12th Congressional… | www.wsoctv.com.