(The Center Square) – After a spirited hearing, a state Senate committee on Monday approved a redistricting map for North Carolina designed to give the state one additional Republican U.S. House member.
North Carolina Republican legislative leaders have said the redistricting effort was prompted by a similar effort in California to help Democrats. Realign Congressional Districts 2025, as Senate Bill 249 is known, passed an initial test in the the Senate’s Committee on Elections and next awaits movement from the Rules Committee.
Republicans have 10 out of North Carolina’s 14 U.S. House seats and are seeking an 11th by redrawing the district held by a Democratic U.S. Rep. Don Davis. His was the only congressional election in November where the winning difference was less than 13%.
Beaufort, Hyde, Dare, Craven, Pamlico and Carteret counties would change from the 3rd Congressional District to the 1st Congressional District. Wilson, Wayne, Greene and Lenoir counties would change from the 1st to the 3rd. By recent voting trends, the 1st would be more Republican and the 3rd less Republican though still strong for the party.
A public hearing on the restricting legislation was held Monday morning, which state Sen. Gladys Robinson, D-Guilford, said was a formality only.
“It is disingenuous to invite the people of North Carolina to their house in the state and not to consider what they have to say,” the senator said before the committee vote on Monday. “I am appalled that we who represent, the citizens of this state, don’t represent them. We don’t represent them.”
Opponents of the redistricting effort on Monday criticized legislators for passing the bill out of committee when the state budget still has not been approved.
“I do not care what is happening in Texas and I do not care what is happening in California,” citizen Alexander Lafond told the committee Monday. “What I care about is what is happening in North Carolina. It’s been 112 days since North Carolina was supposed to have a budget. Instead of coming here and talking about that we are speaking out against a redistricting that will negatively impact every single voter in North Carolina.”
July 1 was the date the two-year spending plan for the state was to take effect. The state budget is operating on its most recent fiscal plan, with some exceptions because of mini-budget passages.
Voting is the cornerstone of democracy, Liz Barber, representing the North Carolina American Civil Liberties Union, told the senators.
“When the party in power tries to take all the power of the voters, and give all the power to the people who agree with them, and take it away from the people who disagree with them, they erode that,” she said.
Monday’s committee vote on the bill had to be paused briefly as protestors chanted loudly, “Racist maps.”
The bill now goes to the Rules Committee for consideration and if it passes there to the full Senate.
