RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Senate Republicans plan on Wednesday to postpone the state’s primary elections to June 7, citing ongoing litigation of the newly enacted redistricting maps.
The state Supreme Court scheduled arguments in the redistricting case for Feb. 2. The court in December pushed back the primary from its original March 8 date to May 17 as part of an expedited hearing schedule for challenges to the redrawn maps.
But state Sen. Ralph Hise, a top Republican, said the current schedule “is an extremely short time frame that will cause unnecessary confusion and chaos” in a statement announcing the vote on Wednesday.
Lawmakers want to make sure they have time to redraw the state Senate, state House and U.S. House maps if the Supreme Court — which has a 4-3 Democratic majority — orders them to be redrawn.
Plaintiffs argue that the districts represent an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. A three-judge panel found the maps were drawn to intentionally give Republicans an advantage, but found nothing in the state constitution outlawing partisan districts.
The House and Senate are scheduled to hold sessions on Tuesday.
———
