Thread by @DemocracyDocket

⚖️NC Redistricting Hearing Updates:

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The court consolidated the two cases, Harper v. Hall and North Carolina League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) v. Hall, into one case under the name NCLCV v. Hall.

Find the original complaints here:
NCLCV: democracydocket.com/cases/north-ca…
Harper: democracydocket.com/cases/north-ca…

NCLCV: "In all three maps, so long as you have results within 7 points...you are going to have baked in majorities for the incumbent [Republican] party in every chamber."

NCLCV: "These maps render elections in the state of North Carolina a formality because any time you have state-wide elections...it bakes in a single result [for Republicans]."

NCLCV: "When you have a partisan gerrymander, the point of elections isn’t to ascertain the will of the people but to make the will of the people irrelevant and entrench one party."

Judge Shirely: "When we talk about the will of the people...you're saying if we allow these maps and elections to occur and the outcome is what you project, we are ignoring the will of the people?"

NCLCV: "That's right."

NCLCV: "When you take the entire state and you’ve systematically structured the map so that one party remains in control — even if voters reject that party by a significant margin — that is the hallmark of a partisan gerrymander that's inconsistent w/ the NC state constitution."

Attorneys argue that the congressional map splits up historic communities, like the Piedmont Triad of Greensboro, Highpoint & Winston-Salem, which was done to intentionally crack Democratic voters.

Harper: "The irreparable harm here is clear. Millions of North Carolinians...won’t have the chance to elect representatives of their choice [under these maps]."

GOP Lawmakers: "The legislature realized that they could pursue partisan gerrymandering but did multiple things to literally handcuff themselves to prevent partisan gerrymandering."

And they still ended up with a 10-3-1 map in a state split almost 50-50 Democrats & Republicans?

Lawmakers argue that there is no partisan gerrymandering because election data was not fed into the map drawing programs, instead legislators relied on their own knowledge of NC's political makeup to draw districts that benefit them.

Judge Shirely: "Are there any estimates of the map in favor of Democrats?"

Lawmakers: "I haven’t seen any."

Because the map is a partisan gerrymander that benefits Republicans.

Judge: "What criteria was followed for map drawing?"
Lawmakers: "The Stevenson rules..."
Judge: "The first rule of which is that you draw VRA compliant districts first, correct?"
Lawmakers: "I wouldn't really say that's a rule."

The state is arguing that since 70% of North Carolina counties voted Republican in previous elections, it makes sense that legislative maps reflect a Republican majority.

Just a reminder that people vote, land doesn't.

Judge: "Is extreme partisan gerrymandering allowed?"
State: *Gives a long answer about why they think the maps are fair.*
Judge: "But is extreme partisan gerrymandering constitutional?"
State: "I don’t...follow an understanding of what extreme partisan gerrymandering is."

NCLCV points out geographic oddities in how the maps are drawn that can only be explained by partisan gerrymandering.

For example: 3 of state’s most heavily democratic counties — Mecklenburg, Wake & Guilford — are the only counties trisected in the state's congressional map.

The court is in recess until 2:00 PM. We'll be back with updates then!

After a bit of a delay, the hearing resumes!