The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down North Carolina’s racist gerrymandering in a 5-3 ruling, written by Justice Elena Kagan.
RALEIGH
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that North Carolina lawmakers relied too heavily on race when drawing congressional districts in 2011, affirming a lower-court ruling that forced legislators to create new maps last year.
The racial gerrymanders that left Republicans representing 10 of 13 North Carolina congressional districts were meant to dilute the power of black voters in the political process and muffle their voice, according to the ruling.
The 5-3 ruling, written by Justice Elena Kagan, is among a series by the justices against the excessive use of race in redistricting that state lawmakers across the country take up every 10 years after the release of new Census data.
Justice Samuel Alito dissented in part from the ruling, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy. It was not immediately clear what impact the decision would have on lingering questions over the districts used to elect the state legislature, and whether lawmakers will have to draw new maps and hold legislative elections in 2017.
New congressional district maps were adopted in February 2016 to address the lower court’s ruling. Those new maps are the focus of a separate lawsuit questioning the breadth to which lawmakers can draw districts for partisan advantage. A hearing in that case is scheduled in federal court in June.