{"id":176,"date":"2019-02-19T13:27:40","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T13:27:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/north-carolina\/press-releases\/majority-of-nc-house-members-co-sponsor-bill-to-end-gerrymandering-number-is-highest-ever-for-redistricting-reform-proposal-in-nc\/"},"modified":"2019-02-19T13:27:40","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T13:27:40","slug":"majority-of-nc-house-members-co-sponsor-bill-to-end-gerrymandering-number-is-highest-ever-for-redistricting-reform-proposal-in-nc","status":"publish","type":"press","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/north-carolina\/press\/majority-of-nc-house-members-co-sponsor-bill-to-end-gerrymandering-number-is-highest-ever-for-redistricting-reform-proposal-in-nc\/","title":{"rendered":"Majority of NC House members co-sponsor bill to end gerrymandering, number is highest ever for redistricting reform proposal in NC"},"template":"","class_list":["post-176","press","type-press","status-publish","hentry","press_type-press-release"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"","featured_image":"","press_type":146,"authors":["{\"site_id\":\"1\",\"post_type\":\"person\",\"post_id\":7872}"],"related_issues":[62,417],"related_work":false,"location":36},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":null,"name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"RALEIGH \u2013 Sixty-seven members of the NC House have put their names on House Bill 69<\/a>, a proposal to establish nonpartisan redistricting. That\u2019s a majority of the NC House and a record number of co-sponsors for an anti-gerrymandering bill in North Carolina\u2019s history.\r\n\r\nInstead of lawmakers crafting congressional and legislative voting districts for partisan advantage,\u00a0House Bill 69\u00a0would have an 11-member citizens commission draw maps free from partisan politics, with robust public input and full transparency. The districts would then be presented to the legislature for an up or down vote. The bill would take effect for the next redistricting cycle in 2021.\r\n\r\nHB69 was introduced last Wednesday<\/a> by four primary sponsors: Reps. Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson), Robert Reives (D-Chatham, Durham), Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) and Brian Turner (D-Buncombe). The number of co-sponsors for the bill swiftly grew to a majority of the NC House, a clear sign of support for reform.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe applaud this bipartisan majority of NC House members for their overwhelming support of House Bill 69 and ending gerrymandering,\u201d said Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause NC. \u201cThe 67 co-sponsors of House Bill 69 \u2013 and the millions of North Carolinians who want nonpartisan redistricting \u2013 deserve to see this proposal get a full hearing and a vote in the legislature. In fact, there are enough co-sponsors of HB69 to pass the bill in the House right now.\u201d\r\n\r\nUnder North Carolina's longstanding system, the party that controls the legislature also controls redistricting. For decades, voting maps have been created by politicians behind closed doors with the aim of heavily favoring their own party.\u00a0The result has been gerrymandered voting districts that deprive voters of a voice in their elections. House Bill 69 would create a new redistricting process that puts voters ahead of partisan politics.\r\n\r\n\"Gerrymandering undermines the fundamental principles of American democracy by depriving voters of a voice in who represents them,\" Phillips said. \"This bill is a big step forward in respecting the rights of North Carolina citizens.\"\r\n\r\nA solid majority of North Carolina voters support impartial redistricting, as shown by a survey conducted in 2018 by Public Policy Polling. That poll found 59 percent of voters in favor of making the map-drawing process nonpartisan, with just 15 percent opposed to reform.\r\n\r\nOver 300 locally elected leaders from 140 towns and cities across North Carolina have signed a petition calling on the legislature to enact nonpartisan redistricting. And more than 100 North Carolina business leaders have joined the call for an end to gerrymandering.\r\n\r\nFact sheet \u2013 House Bill 69:<\/strong>\r\n