Those State Senate Maps – Let’s Start the New Year Right

by | Jan 19, 2023 | Politics | 2 comments

The N.C. Supreme Court doesn’t like them.  Dan Blue, State Senate Minority Leader, doesn’t like them. Left wing media do not like them. Their beef is that Republicans got 60% of the seats, 30 out of 50,  while only receiving 59% of the votes of those who voted for the Republican and Democratic candidates in the statewide State Senate elections last November. 

The State Supreme Court has ordered those State Senate maps redrawn so that Democrats can be more fairly represented. Let’s see how proportional representation might work out in practice.

Those who voted for State Senate in Wake County voted 37% for the Republican candidates and 63 % for the Democrat candidates. The same thing happened in Mecklenburg County. Yet not a single Republican was elected to the State Senate in Wake or Mecklenburg County. (A tiny portion of Mecklenburg County elected Republican Vicky Sawyer whose district is Iredell County.)

When the maps go back to the General Assembly for a redraw, they should be drawn proportionally so that Republicans, in the words of the court, have a fair and equal chance to be represented. That would mean four extra GOP Senators – two Republican leaning districts in Wake and two in Mecklenburg instead of ten Democrats and no Republicans. 

Fair enough?

The author served 16 years in the State House, the last ten as Republican Leader and Speaker Pro Tem.  For more information see www.paulstam.info. 

Letters: State Senate Maps

2 Comments

  1. TC

    Frankly, I don’t think the maps should be drawn along partisan political lines. I thought people went to the legislature to represent people, not parties. I also don’t think that Senate or Representative district lines should cross county boundary lines. Representation should be on the basis of county resided in and the population.

    Spare me the ‘Democrats did it first’ hyperbole. Apparently, Republicans don’t think there is anything wrong with gerrymandering now since they’ve brought the practice to a near art form of how to slice the pie ever so precise to suit themselves.

    Wouldn’t that be the equitable and fair way though, since you brought it up?

  2. wes

    man are you on the wrong site.

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