North Carolina Congressional Redistricting Challenge (2025)
Williams v. Hall
Lawsuit filed on behalf of Black and Latino voters challenging North Carolina’s newly enacted congressional map, which the Legislature redrew in October 2023. The plaintiffs allege that the congressional map “cracks” and “packs” North Carolina’s minority voters to entrench the state’s white majority and “erase[] the gains made by voters of color in the 2020 and 2022 election cycles.” The lawsuit points to the fact that the new map dismantles existing districts across the state where minority voters had an equal opportunity to elect their preferred candidates and underscores North Carolina’s history of racial discrimination in voting and redistricting. The lawsuit specifically challenges the 1st, 6th, 12th and 14th Congressional Districts for being unconstitutional racially gerrymanders in violation of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The lawsuit contends that in addition to being drawn with race as the predominant factor, the challenged districts are intentionally discriminatory in violation of the 14th and 15th Amendments. The plaintiffs ask the court to declare the 2023 congressional plan unconstitutional and to order the adoption of lawful districts.
On March 18, 2024, this case was consolidated with North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. Berger , with this case designated as the lead.
On April 8, 2025, a three judge panel ruled in favor of legislative defendants on the NAACP’s malapportionment claims and other claims.
Latest Updates
- Nov. 26, 2025: The district court denied plaintiffs’ motions for a preliminary injunction to block the newly passed congressional map.
- Nov. 20, 2025: A three-judge panel found that the legislature’s 2023 map did not violate the Voting Rights Act or the U.S. Constitution.
- Nov. 19, 2025: The district court held a hearing on plaintiffs’ motions for a preliminary injunction to block the newly passed congressional map.
- Nov. 18, 2025: Plaintiffs filed their replies in support of their motion for a preliminary injunction and opposition to legislative defendants’ motion to dismiss.
- Nov. 14, 2025: Legislative defendants filed their opposition to plaintiffs’ motions for a preliminary injunction.
- Nov. 6, 2025: The court set a hearing date for plaintiffs’ motions for a preliminary injunction, and set an upcoming briefing schedule for legislative defendants’ motion to dismiss and for a trial on the merits to be held in mid-2026.
- Nov. 4, 2025: Legislative defendants filed a motion to dismiss.
- Oct. 31, 2025: NAACP and Williams plaintiffs both file motions for a preliminary injunction, and submit a joint briefing schedule.
- Oct. 27, 2025: Plaintiffs filed their supplemental complaint.
Case Documents
Last updated: