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The Daily Tar Heel

Legislators React To Redistricting

The lawsuit, originally filed by N.C. Republican legislators, said the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the new district plans violated the N.C. Constitution.

The act makes it legal to divide counties to prevent the dilution of minority votes. The act conflicts with a state constitutional provision that forbids counties from being split.

But Amy Fulk, press secretary for Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, said the maps are legitimate as they stand.

"We feel that the maps as drawn comply with the Voting Rights Act and previous state and court decisions," she said. "Counties have been split in every redistricting plan since the 1970s."

Fulk said the Basnight camp is satisfied with some aspects of the court's decision not to delay the primaries.

"We're pleased with the court's decision to not lift the ban because it allows the election to continue uninterrupted," she said.

UNC law Professor Melissa Saunders said the Voting Rights Act was enacted to allow minorities to have more of a voice in elections.

"Section two (of the act) is a vote dilution claim," Saunders said.

"It's a claim that you've drummed out a voting minority. That minimizes their vote."

Saunders said the law has another controversial aspect.

"The way this law works, if you have 40 counties (that are affected) like we do, you have to get the plans preapproved," she said.

But Republican leaders are happy about the court's recent announcement that it will hear the case.

"I'm extremely encouraged by it," said Bill Cobey, chairman of the N.C. Republican Party. "It's what I expected. All I want the (N.C.) Supreme Court to do is uphold the law."

Cobey said the pending litigation would not affect other political races and at worst it would move the primaries for General Assembly elections back to the summer.

Fulk said a change to the district map would only come with a Supreme Court decision.

"We don't plan on redrawing the lines unless the Supreme Court tells us to do so."

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

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