North Carolina 2023 State Senate Map Challenge

Lawsuit filed on behalf of two Black voters challenging North Carolina’s Republican-drawn state Senate map. The plaintiffs allege that the map dilutes the voting power of Black voters in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The complaint alleges that the districts “crack Black voters in the Black Belt counties in northeastern North Carolina, resulting in the dilution of their electoral strength.” The plaintiffs request that the court strike down the map and order the adoption of a map that includes a minority-opportunity district in northeastern North Carolina. On Jan. 26, 2024, the court denied the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. The plaintiffs appealed to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed the denial of the motion for a preliminary injunction on March 28, 2024. On April 11, the plaintiffs filed a petition to have the appeal reheard en banc.

STATUS: Litigation that could affect the map for future elections is ongoing in the district court. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs asked the 4th Circuit to reconsider its decision that affirmed the denial of their request to temporarily block the state Senate map.

Last updated: May 6, 2024 3:49 pm EST