Federal Court Throws Out North Carolina’s Congressional Map for ‘Unconstitutional’ Gerrymandering

A federal court struck down North Carolina’s congressional map on Monday, ruling that districts were unconstitutionally gerrymandered, Politico reports. A three-judge panel found that Republican legislators in the state violated both the First and Fourteenth Amendments when “they drew congressional lines that favored their party.” The November midterms are just 10 weeks away, and the court’s decision throws “uncertainty” into the state’s upcoming House elections. While Politico reports that it is unusual for courts to throw out a map so close to Election Day, the court said the case presented “unusual circumstances.” The court will now appoint a “special master” to draw up a map, but it could also give the North Carolina legislature a chance to draw its own “constitutionally compliant” map before the Sept. 17 deadline. The court also addressed the fact that the state already had its primaries within the map that is being thrown out—floating ideas like making the general election candidates run in their newly drawn districts or holding primaries on Nov. 6 and holding a “special general election” at a later date.