New York Times: In North Carolina, New Political Maps Don’t End Old Disputes

When a North Carolina state court struck down the state’s legislative political maps nearly two weeks ago, it said the maps had been drawn “with surgical precision” to keep Republicans in control of both chambers.

On Tuesday, state legislators approved new electoral maps — drawn under a court directive to ignore partisan considerations — that appear to give Republicans a slight political edge, some experts said. …

Common Cause North Carolina, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that led to the redrafting, will submit a formal comment on the maps later, its deputy director, Brent Laurenz, said.

“We were a little disappointed in the lack of public engagement in the process,” he said, and legislators in the House appeared to have tweaked some districts “more than needed.”

“You still had politicians walking up there carving up their own districts to their advantage,” he said. “It was illuminating, I guess, to see them go up there.”