RALEIGH – State lawmakers today introduced the Fair Maps Act (House Bill 437), a proposal to implement lasting redistricting reform and end gerrymandering in North Carolina.

The Fair Maps Act would amend North Carolina’s constitution to permanently take redistricting power out of the hands of partisan legislators and entrust it with an independent commission comprised of everyday North Carolinians to draw the state’s voting districts free from political influence.

If passed by the NC General Assembly, the proposed constitutional amendment would be placed before voters statewide in 2022. If ultimately approved by voters, the citizens commission would be established to oversee North Carolina’s redistricting process thereafter. The citizens redistricting commission would have an equal number of Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters.

Primary sponsors of the Fair Maps Act include Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford), Rep. Robert Reives (D-Chatham, Durham), Rep. Grier Martin (D-Wake) and Rep. Marcia Morey (D-Durham).

“We applaud these lawmakers for introducing the Fair Maps Act. This legislation provides lasting, nonpartisan reform that would end gerrymandering for good in North Carolina. The Fair Maps Acts would stop the practice of politicians manipulating our voting districts and it would ensure voters have a true voice in choosing their representatives,” said Bob Phillips, directeur exécutif de Common Cause NC. “While the citizens commission proposed by the Fair Maps Act would not be in place for the 2021 round of redistricting, the bill puts forward key principles that legislators should look to as new districts are drawn this year. Among those principles are the importance of meaningful public participation, rejecting partisan or racial gerrymandering and protecting communities from being needlessly divided.”

Phillips noted that the most prominent Republican leaders currently in the legislature, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and Speaker Tim Moore, both sponsored bills to create a citizens redistricting commission when their party was in the minority a little more than a decade ago.

“It was right for Speaker Moore and President Pro Tem Berger to support nonpartisan redistricting when their party was out of power, and it would still be the right thing to do now that their party controls the General Assembly,” Phillips said. “We urge members of both parties to end the damaging cycle of gerrymandering and put the well-being of North Carolinians above partisan politics by passing the Fair Maps Act.”

À propos de la loi sur les cartes équitables :

• Le Fair Maps Act modifierait la constitution de la Caroline du Nord pour créer une commission citoyenne de redécoupage des circonscriptions électorales.
• If adopted by the NC General Assembly, the proposed constitutional amendment would be put before North Carolina voters statewide in 2022. And if approved by voters, the citizens redistricting commission would be responsible for any legislative or congressional redistricting thereafter.
• La commission citoyenne de redécoupage des circonscriptions aurait l'approbation finale des districts ; l'Assemblée générale de la Caroline du Nord n'aurait aucun rôle à jouer dans le redécoupage.
• La commission de redécoupage des circonscriptions électorales établirait des circonscriptions électorales de population égale, contiguës et compactes, et se conformerait pleinement à la Constitution américaine et à la loi fédérale. La commission s'efforcerait d'éviter de diviser des comtés, des municipalités ou des communautés d'intérêts.
• La commission serait composée de 15 membres : cinq républicains, cinq démocrates et cinq membres qui ne sont ni républicains ni démocrates. Le projet de loi interdit aux lobbyistes, aux donateurs politiques importants ou aux proches des législateurs de siéger à la commission.
• La commission serait tenue de tenir au moins 20 réunions publiques – 10 avant l’élaboration du plan et 10 après la création du plan initial mais avant sa finalisation.
• La commission mettrait des ressources à la disposition du public pour lui permettre de dessiner ses propres cartes, de comprendre le processus et de soumettre des commentaires.
• L’adoption d’un plan nécessiterait un vote d’au moins neuf membres de la commission, dont au moins trois membres de chaque sous-groupe (républicains, démocrates et non affiliés).
• Si la commission n’était pas en mesure d’adopter un plan, elle engagerait un maître spécial pour dessiner les districts.

About the 2021 redistricting process:

Later this year, North Carolina’s congressional and legislative districts will be redrawn based on 2020 census data. Those new districts are intended to remain in place for the next decade.

In 2019, a state court issued a landmark decision in Common Cause contre Lewis, ruling that partisan gerrymandering, like racial gerrymandering, violates North Carolina’s constitution. As a result, the court ordered new legislative maps to be drawn for the 2020 election in full public view and without using partisan data. That historic ruling set an important precedent barring partisan gerrymandering in North Carolina.

“The courts have made clear that gerrymandering is unconstitutional in North Carolina and the public overwhelmingly wants nonpartisan redistricting. But the temptation to manipulate voting districts may remain a strong pull for politicians,” Phillips said. “In order to avoid illegal map-rigging, the redistricting process in 2021 must be nonpartisan, with full transparency and robust public input – and be completely free from gerrymandering.”

Phillips added, “That means lawmakers must not shortchange the people of North Carolina with a rushed redistricting process. Instead, legislators should hold a series of meaningful hearings in communities throughout the state and actually listen – and be responsive to – public input in how the district lines are drawn.”

Common Cause NC est une organisation populaire non partisane qui se consacre à la défense des valeurs fondamentales de la démocratie américaine.