Press Release

Ang Fair Maps Act na ipinakilala sa lehislatura, ay magwawakas sa gerrymandering sa NC sa pamamagitan ng pagtatatag ng komisyon sa pagbabago ng distrito ng mga mamamayan

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, executive director ng 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.”

Tungkol sa Fair Maps Act:

  • Ang Fair Maps Act ay magsususog sa konstitusyon ng North Carolina upang lumikha ng isang komisyon sa pagbabago ng distrito ng mga mamamayan.
  • 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.
  • Ang komisyon sa pagbabago ng distrito ng mga mamamayan ay magkakaroon ng huling pag-apruba ng mga distrito; walang magiging papel ang NC General Assembly sa muling distrito.
  • Ang komisyon sa pagbabago ng distrito ng mga mamamayan ay bubunot ng mga distrito na pantay-pantay sa populasyon, magkadikit at siksik, gayundin ang ganap na pagsunod sa Konstitusyon ng US at pederal na batas. Ang komisyon ay magsisikap na maiwasan ang paghahati ng mga county, munisipalidad o komunidad ng interes.
  • Ang komisyon ay magkakaroon ng 15 miyembro – limang Republicans, limang Democrat at limang miyembro na hindi Republicans o Democrats. Ipinagbabawal ng panukalang batas ang mga lobbyist, major political donors o mga kamag-anak ng mga mambabatas na maglingkod sa komisyon.
  • Ang komisyon ay kakailanganing magdaos ng hindi bababa sa 20 pampublikong pagpupulong – 10 bago iguhit ang plano at 10 pagkatapos malikha ang isang paunang plano ngunit bago ito ma-finalize.
  • Gagawin ng komisyon ang mga mapagkukunang magagamit sa mga miyembro ng publiko upang pahintulutan silang gumuhit ng kanilang sariling mga mapa, maunawaan ang proseso at magsumite ng mga komento.
  • Ang pag-ampon ng isang plano ay mangangailangan ng boto ng hindi bababa sa siyam na miyembro ng komisyon, kabilang ang hindi bababa sa tatlong miyembro mula sa bawat subgroup (Republicans, Democrats at hindi kaakibat).
  • Kung ang komisyon ay hindi makapagpatibay ng isang plano, ito ay kukuha ng isang espesyal na master upang iguhit ang mga distrito.

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.

Noong 2019, naglabas ang isang korte ng estado ng isang mahalagang desisyon sa Common Cause v. 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.”


Ang Common Cause NC ay isang nonpartisan, grassroots na organisasyon na nakatuon sa pagtataguyod ng mga pangunahing halaga ng demokrasya ng Amerika.

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