North Carolina judges are officially delaying candidate filing for the state's congressional districts while they sort out whether a replacement map approved by Republican legislators should be used for next year's elections.

The three-judge panel's order dated Wednesday means election officials can't accept congressional candidate paperwork when the filing period begins for other 2020 races on Dec. 2.

On the same day, the judges will hold a hearing that will address whether a lawsuit filed by voters challenging the previous district lines should end because a new map is in place. But those voters argue the new districts are just another illegal partisan gerrymander.

State election officials have said the congressional primary could still be held March 3 as previously scheduled if a final map is set by Dec. 15.