Gerrymandering/Redistricting

It’s time for congressional Republicans to learn from the states, listen to the voters and find their way back to the principle of a government “by the people.” Our generation has a responsibility to add our own chapter to the unfolding story of freedom. It’s beyond time for Senate Republicans to advance the Freedom to Vote Act. If they don’t, Senate Democrats must reform the filibuster to protect our sacred freedom to vote.

Raleigh, N.C. (Oct. 29, 2021) — Civil rights groups filed a state lawsuit today challenging the North Carolina Legislature’s process for drawing new N.C. House and Senate voting maps. The suit would block proposed state legislative districts for failing to consider race during the initial stages of the map-making process in ways that could have devastating impacts on the representation of Black North Carolinians in violation of established state and federal law.  The Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) brought the case on behalf of the North Carolina NAACP, Common Cause, and individual voters, alongside pro bono counsel with the law firm Hogan Lovells. The case, NC NAACP vs. Berger, was filed in Wake County Superior Court, North Carolina.

“By cynically ignoring the law, legislative leaders are crafting maps that would unconstitutionally deprive Black voters of a voice in choosing their representatives,” added Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause.

Amanda Gonzalez, executive director of Colorado Common Cause, a group that helped draft the amendments that created the independent commission, also filed a brief opposing the new congressional map on the grounds it reduced Latinos’ electoral influence and doesn’t accurately reflect the state. Still, Gonzalez said she believes the commission is “the most fair and transparent way of creating maps.” “At the end of the day all Coloradans want is a process they can trust, they want to understand what is going on … this independent commission process got us closer to that,” she said.

“With his signature today, Governor Abbott continues the shameful five-decade-long tradition of ramming through extremely gerrymandered maps in an undemocratic process,” Anthony Gutierrez, Common Cause Texas executive director, said in a news release. “These racially and partisan gerrymandered maps deny every voter in Texas from having an equal say in the issues we care about most, like a stronger economy, better schools, and affordable healthcare.”