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The Daily Tar Heel

House Delays Redistricting Talks

The latest plan was distributed to members 40 minutes after the meeting was supposed to start because staffers were still drawing it.

The 19-21 vote against the Democratic proposal ran mostly along party lines, with the exception of Rep. Alma Adams, D-Guilford, Rep. Toby Fitch, D-Wilson, and Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, who joined Republicans to stop debate on the plan.

All three are members of the Group of Eight, made up of dissident Democrats who earlier prevented Democrats from passing the state budget and N.C. House redistricting plans.

During the meeting, Committee Chairman Thomas Wright, D-New Hanover, said he wanted members to discuss the bill and possibly vote on it.

But most of the members said Wright was acting too fast by not allowing time for public comment and for members to propose amendments.

"I just saw this plan a few minutes ago," said Rep. Billy Creech, R-Johnston. "I don't see what's wrong with holding this thing over to give us a chance to look at it."

Wright said he presented a similar plan to the committee Co-chairman William McMahan, R-Mecklenburg, before the meeting to allow for comments.

But McMahan said the latest proposal differed substantially. "This map is not the map I expected to receive."

Wright added that the changes were not substantial, and he and McMahan discussed the proposals before the meeting. "We're legislators," he said. "We talk about concepts even if we don't have anything tangible."

Wright said the committee could consider another plan as early as today. "We'll just wait until the committee's ready," Wright said. "If we can't get anything, then we'll just keep trying."

Soon after the meeting adjourned, Fitch started talking with Wright and committee staff members about districts he would find acceptable.

Talking later with reporters, Fitch said he was trying to design a congressional district that a black candidate could win.

"I'm trying to have an option for African Americans to truly have influence over who gets elected," he said.

Fitch showed a map he drew, altering the location of the 13th Congressional District. Fitch's plan includes large portions of Durham County and some of north Wake County. The Democratic plan excludes Durham County entirely and includes most of northern Wake County.

Fitch said his plan was negotiable, provided the redistricting plan created a third district where a black candidate could win. He said he did not know when the members would reach a compromise but said that it could be as early as today.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.

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