Judicial whiplash

by | Dec 7, 2021 | Editor's Blog | 10 comments

If you’re watching the redistricting court cases in North Carolina, you may suffer from whiplash. And it might not be over yet. 

On Friday, a three-judge panel of Wake County Superior Court judges ruled that filing for legislative and Congressional seats could move forward as scheduled. Yesterday was to be the first day of the filing period. Just half-an-hour before filing was to open, a three-judge panel of the North Carolina Court of Appeals ordered it halted pending a review of a case contesting the districts. Then, around 6pm, the full Court of Appeals overruled the three-judge panel and said the filing could resume. 

That might not be the end of it. The governor and attorney general have asked the Supreme Court of North Carolina to weigh in. They might halt filing again. Don’t get too comfortable with the election schedule just yet. 

Republicans learned after the 2011 redistricting that they can pass egregiously gerrymandered districts that stand for several election cycles. During that period of rule under unconstitutional districts, they can pass legislation that will make voting more difficult for people who oppose them. They can even put constitutional amendments on the ballot to alter the way our government works, further rigging a system while claiming that their unconstitutional agenda is the will of the people. 

Democrats, for their part, are relying on courts to protect our democracy and the constitutional rights of North Carolinians. With the GOP holding a majority of seats on the Court of Appeals and Democrats holding a narrow majority on the state Supreme Court, the integrity of the courts is at stake. People need to see the judicial branch as arbitrators, not merely another partisan body. 

10 Comments

  1. Open Minded

    Phoenix, Why the need to gerrymander districts if the majority of people have repudiated leftist ideas?

    • phoenix

      Because they can. Democrats have already been repudiated it why the Republicans have control to decide the maps in the first place.

  2. Edwin Orville Finch

    Besides the rule of each district having an equal number of voters, there should be other rules for a more sensible map, How about using plain old geometry? —- 1) no district more than “n” times larger than the smallest, 2) no district to have more than 12 (or some other number of ) total corners,3) of which no more than 6 (or some other number) can be internal corners, and 4) the ratio of district boundary length to district area can not be over 11 (or some other number), (For example, a square has a ratio of 2, The boundary of a square 2 miles long is 4 sides x 2=8 miles total boundary. The area is 2×2=4 square miles. Thus, the ratio of a square district would be 8 divide 4 = 2. In the real world we could not expect better unless the district were circular or multisided with no internal corner.
    Also the Voter Rights Act says the map should not disenfranchise minorities. The geometric rules suggested might be useful in this respect. —- Equal, or as close to equal as humanly possible, of the power of every vote, should always be the objective.
    In days passed, it might have been difficult to draw district maps using the suggested geometric criteria, but in today’s world, the computer can do it in no time.
    Can we get politicians on board?

  3. phoenix

    “Republicans learned after the 2011 redistricting that they can pass egregiously gerrymandered districts that stand for several election cycles.”

    Well they did learn from the 180 years of Democrats doing exactly the same thing. Turn about is fair play after all.

    Here to making NC truly the Red state it is. Hopefully we can make the “blue no matter who” crowd allergic and they seek greener pasture somewhere else.

    I hear New York and California (among others) are in need of a few hundred thousand people! Who knows maybe you guys can get their Congressional seats back! And to boot you will be among your Leftist brethren with far fewer of those deplorables you hate so much, and you’ll have a far more expansive, lush and vibrant entitlement system to live off of. Fewer guns too, and you get to know your taxes go to support exactly what you want!

    Whats not to like?

    Start packing now!

    • Nova

      You’re such a clown. You realize Republicans are the minority party in almost every state including NC? The only reason they even stand a ghost of a chance in most places is the illegal gerrymandering that’s made it near impossible for people of color to vote.

      • Phoenix

        Impossible to vote? How? Are they being tackled at the polls? Locked in their homes? Tied down? A poll tax? (oh that a democrat thing can’t be that)

        and as usual Its someone else’s fault.

        Democrats. LOOK IN THE MIRROR. The face you see and millions JUST LIKE YOU is the reason your are losing.

        Take responsibility, stop making excuses (Gerrymandering etc) and fix the issues.

        If you can, because fixing stuff isn’t a Democrat/leftist strength. Now destroying things that you have down pat. Just look at any Leftist dominated State or city.

        Res ipsa loquitur.

    • FlyAway

      Not sure why you spout so much hate…what Democrat hurt your feelings? I can’t understand why it’s the Democrats who need to leave the state…maybe you should move to Texas, FL or any western state since you hate the East Coast.

      • Phoenix

        I merely reflect what Democrats say everyday. A bit of your own medicine. I’ve seen more hateful rhetoric on Liberal sites than I’ve ever seen on Conservative ones. (there is some just no where near the level) Some truly hateful awful things. Things Godless, and devoid of any morality. Spoken as if it is NORMAL to be like that.

        So I try to reflect the tone of the mainstream leftist.How do you like a taste of your own medicine? Bitter isn’t it?

        Its not hard to see, Its everywhere and a huge reason why Democrats are now being repudiated all over the country. The people are done with leftist ideas. They bring only misery and those whose espouse it ruin everything they touch and are universally complainers, unhappy, and no fun to be around. Just look at the shining examples of their policies.. Baltimore, New York, Portland Seattle, Philadelphia San Francisco Chicago. to name only a few. All at one time fine places to live. Now no decent person will live there.

        At this point its far easier for a Democrat to move to a leftist utopia like California than to drag down a state like NC to make it what California already is.

        No one WANTS what you do. Its more than obvious throughout the country that there are very distinct places that DO and leftists would be very happy there. Plus they really need your money and presence. Since so many have left. Support your cause. Your cities and states need you.

        So go. Be happy if such a thing is possible for a leftist.

        • Kayman

          Yawn! South Dakota awaits you as Christi Noem a corrupt politician is more your speed.

    • Kayman

      None in North Carolina cares about New York or California. It is a non sequitur…

Related Posts

GET UPDATES

Get the latest posts from PoliticsNC delivered right to your inbox!

You have Successfully Subscribed!