RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Voters who successfully sued to strike down nearly 30 North Carolina General Assembly districts want special legislative elections in 2017 under new maps drawn by this January.
The lawyers for the voters told a federal court Friday it wants the legislature to hold a special election next year after a three-judge panel determined last month the current districts were illegal racial gerrymanders. Legislative elections are usually held every two years, including this fall and in November 2018.
Republican legislative leaders offered their own schedule proposal Friday. They want to wait until next July to enact new maps and said elections should follow the current two-year cycle.
The court already decided it was too late to redraw the boundaries for this fall’s elections, which will be held under current boundaries.