RALEIGH, N.C. — Buoyed by a favorable ruling this month involving legislative districts, North Carolina voters sued again on Friday to overturn the state’s congressional map, alleging Republican state lawmakers manipulated lines to maximize GOP seats.
The registered Democrats and independents filed a lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court, alleging extreme partisanship in how the 13 districts were drawn in 2016. They say the map violates the state constitution and want new districts for the 2020 elections.
Republicans hold 10 of the seats in North Carolina, where statewide elections are usually closely divided.
The lawsuit, funded by a Democratic group, mimics successful arguments in partisan gerrymandering litigation in state court involving General Assembly districts. A three-judge panel ruled Sept. 3 that dozens of House and Senate districts had to be redrawn because their lines were designed to retain GOP majority control of the chambers.
A federal case on North Carolina’s congressional districts — alleging partisan gerrymandering that violated the U.S. Constitution — ended in June with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a 5-4 decision to stay out of such controversies. But the majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, suggested states could intervene.