North Carolina Supreme Court Strikes Down Republican-Drawn Maps

North Carolina’s Republican-drawn congressional and legislative maps violate the state’s constitution and must be redrawn before the May 2022 primaries, the state’s Supreme Court said Friday.

The maps were previously upheld by a state appellate court, overruling voters and advocacy groups who challenged the maps as partisan gerrymanders that undermine Black voting power. The maps would strengthen the GOP’s advantage both in the state legislature and congressional delegation.

But the 4-3 order from the state Supreme Court said the state constitution prohibits the General Assembly from diminishing or diluting any individual’s vote on the basis of partisan ...