RALEIGH – A panel of federal judges on Tuesday ruled that Common Cause v. Rucho, a potentially landmark challenge to partisan redisticting in North Carolina and across the country, can proceed to trial, denying a request by lawyers for the state legislature to delay the lawsuit.

“We are pleased the court confirmed that our lawsuit against partisan gerrymandering will proceed,” said Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina. “This is a potentially landmark case that could finally end gerrymandering in North Carolina and may have reverberations across the country. The lawsuit is a crucial step toward protecting the constitutional right of citizens to have a voice in choosing their representatives.”

The lawsuit was filed by Common Cause in 2016 after legislative leaders openly declared that they had replaced racially gerrymandered congressional districts with districts gerrymandered along partisan lines. 

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