Gerrymandering Rapid Response: Speak Out NOW!

October 22, 2023

Redistricting experts agree: If the new Congressional and Legislative maps proposed by the NC Legislature are adopted, they would make our evenly purple state the most gerrymandered state in the country. NC is a 50/50 state. Any maps that fall short of reflecting this reality are unacceptable. This assault on fair representation must come to an end.

Republicans on the NC Senate and house Redistricting Committees released shamelessly gerrymandered maps last week and plan to push them through the legislature early in the week of October 23. It is imperative that every North Carolinian who cares about democracy speak out against this overtly partisan power grab. These maps are expected to be voted out of committee on Monday and Tuesday and brought to a full floor vote on Wednesday.

Here’s what the Congressional maps would do for NC’s 14 districts

In a 50/50 Democratic/Republican state, Congressional Map CBP-5 creates 3 Democratic districts, 11 Republican districts and 0 competitive districts:

…while Congressional Map CCJ-1, their insultingly token “improvement,” creates 3 Democratic districts, 10 Republican districts and 1 competitive district:

Here’s what the State Legislative maps would do for NC General Assembly

State Senate Map SCJ-1 creates 18 Democratic districts, 29 Republican districts and 3 competitive districts. Of NC’s 50 State Senate districts, only 30 Senate seats are needed for a supermajority that can override the governor’s veto.

State House Map HST-2 creates 45 Democratic districts,  69 Republican districts 6 competitive districts. Of NC’s 120 House districts, only 70 seats are needed for a supermajority that can override the governor’s veto.

Take Action Now!

The rushed timeline means that it’s crucial to speak up by by Monday, Oct 23. Please take these simple actions today — and then share with friends!

  1. Submit a written comment on the Legislature’s online portal. Use the comment form here.
    • This is very important for documentation. Written comments remain in the public record. If the legislature ignores the will of the people but the people have documented their wishes, these statements will present a strong case that may help with future litigation.
  2. Call your reps!
  3. Email your reps:

To call and write directly, find your legislators here.

Talking Points

Look at how these maps divide our communities and speak out against that.

The court-ordered Congressional Map used in the 2022 elections were created by nonpartisan special masters and resulted in evenly divided representation – 7 Democrats and 7 Republicans elected from our 14 Congressional districts. Look at the proposed Congressional maps above, which were gerrymandered to create lopsided Republican majorities in an evenly divided state, and speak about that!

Find more talking points here.

Redistricting Committee Members

You can also write and call the members of Senate and House Redistricting Committees directly. Ask them how they are ensuring that the maps they’ve presented comply with the Voting Rights Act. Note: Buncombe County Senator Warren Daniel is Co-Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee. Find all committee members’ names and contact info here.

 

 

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