State of North Carolina

North Carolina Legislative Redistricting Process

North Carolina NAACP v. Berger

Lawsuit filed on behalf of the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, Common Cause and voters challenging the North Carolina Legislature’s map-drawing process for new state House and Senate maps following the release of 2020 census data. The complaint alleges that the Legislature failed to consider any racial data or racially polarized voting data to draw new legislative districts, which the plaintiffs argue has resulted in plans that will dilute the voting power of Black voters. The complaint argues that the use of “race-blind redistricting criteria” violates both the state and U.S. Constitutions and asks the court to issue an injunction requiring the Legislature to adhere to the state’s redistricting criteria. The complaint argues that it is seeking relief before new maps are passed due to fast-approaching election deadlines and the need for court intervention before the next election cycle. At a preliminary injunction hearing, the trial court judge denied the plaintiffs’ requests to push back the 2022 legislative elections and order the Legislature to properly draw maps. The plaintiffs appealed this decision, asking the North Carolina Supreme Court to take over the case in order expedite the litigation. The state Supreme Court dismissed the petition, but stated that the petitioners could still file a motion to intervene in the consolidated cases of North Carolina League of Conservation Voters v. Hall and Harper v. Hall. The remaining plaintiff in this case, Common Cause, was granted intervention in those cases.

Case Documents (trial court)

Case Documents (NC Supreme Court)

Last updated: