Raleigh, N.C. – A three-judge panel unanimously upheld North Carolina’s newly redrawn Congressional districts on Monday, opening candidate filing for U.S. House seats in the 2020 elections after another historically transparent redistricting process by the state General Assembly.
The approved districts strictly comply with nonpartisan redistricting criteria adopted in a process similar to new election lines drawn for the state legislature that were unanimously approved by a three-judge panel in October.
The new Congressional map was drawn without any partisan data, is more compact, and splits fewer precincts than previous districts and other proposals submitted to the legislature’s Joint Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting.
Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett) and Rep. Destin Hall (R-Caldwell), the House co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting, released a statement:
“The new Congressional map was drawn in full transparent view without partisan goals or data following extensive public input from North Carolinians to meet strict redistricting criteria identified by the courts as standards of fairness,” Reps. Lewis and Hall said Monday.
The new Congressional map only splits twelve counties. The joint committee provided live streams of committee computers and meeting rooms to provide the public full view of the process.
“It’s time now to stop the endless litigation and out-of-state lawyering around North Carolina’s redistricting process and let the people determine their Congressional representatives,” Reps. Lewis and Hall said.