Common Cause NC calls on legislature to comply with court order and conduct redistricting in full public view

RALEIGH – On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the Wake County Superior Court ruled unanimously in the case of Common Cause v. Lewis that the NC General Assembly violated the North Carolina Constitution when it gerrymandered the state’s legislative districts for partisan gain. The court gave the legislature until Sept. 18 to draw new NC House and NC Senate districts, applying strict nonpartisan criteria and in full public view. Any newly drawn maps will be subject to review by the court.

Common Cause NC calls upon the legislature to take the following actions in order to comply with the court’s directive that the entire mapmaking process must be fully transparent:

• All map drawing must occur at public hearings, with any relevant computer screen visible to legislators and public observers, as the court specifically ordered.
• Provide a live video feed online of the entire mapmaking process so any resident can watch in real time.
• The mapmaking should also be viewable via live video feed at satellite sites across the state.
• Before the first district is drawn, lawmakers should spend at least one day soliciting public input at a minimum of 10 satellite sites throughout the state and in Raleigh, providing an opportunity for residents to weigh in on how lines should be drawn that best keep their communities whole.
• No sooner than 24 hours upon completion of proposed new maps, lawmakers should hold another day of public comment at a minimum of 10 satellite sites throughout the state.
• The legislative website should provide a portal for public comment, maps and submissions that is available for public view at all times.

“The court has clearly spoken in its landmark ruling against the legislature’s illegal partisan gerrymandering. What’s crucial now is that the General Assembly complies with the court’s order and draws new districts in full public view at each step of the process,” said Brent Laurenz, deputy director of Common Cause NC. “The people of North Carolina deserve redistricting that is nonpartisan, completely transparent and includes robust public input.”

Learn more about the case of Common Cause v. Lewis here.

Common Cause NC is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy.

Media contact: Bryan Warner, Common Cause NC, at 919-836-0027 or bwarner@commoncause.org