Legal challenges over maps unlikely to disrupt primary, state official says

A state voting official says legal challenges to North Carolina’s political maps are unlikely to interfere with the March 5 primary as voting begins Friday.

Last month voting rights advocates filed a lawsuit to overturn the Republican-led legislature’s redistricting plans for the 2024 election — just one of the challenges to the redrawn maps enacted in October. 

Plaintiffs argue changes to certain districts dilute the power of Black voters, including the U.S. 6th District seat in the Triad currently held by Democrat Kathy Manning, who opted not to seek reelection after redistricting.

In 2022, maps drawn by state judges led to an even seven-to-seven split between Democrats and Republicans in North Carolina’s congressional races. The new maps are expected to be more favorable to the GOP.

During a virtual meeting with reporters, Paul Cox, the general counsel for the North Carolina State Board of Elections, said with absentee voting set to begin, it’s unlikely that a court would order changes.

“I think if something were to get ordered it would probably be more along the lines of a separate election down the line," he says. "At this point, it’s very unlikely that we would see any disruption to the current primary.”

State Board of Elections officials say more than 5,000 people statewide have requested primary ballots.

North Carolina’s March 5 primary is part of Super Tuesday, which has more states with primaries or caucuses than any other single date.