***UPDATE: The U.S. Supreme Court has denied the request to stay the federal court’s ruling regarding the new Congressional maps.***
North Carolina voters will likely head to the polls three times in 2016.
The March 15 primary is quickly approaching and North Carolina lawmakers have been in session this week redrawing Congressional maps after a federal court ruled the 2011 renderings were unconstitutional.
The state House and Senate have now approved new Congressional districts, which they say comply with the law. Opponents of the new districts say that the new drawings are still illegal because they pack black voters into certain districts.
Leaders in the North Carolina legislature have asked the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay of the federal court mandate, but the nation’s high court has yet to respond.
Friday was the deadline issued by the federal court for new districts to be approved.
Since district maps do not have to be approved by Governor Pat McCrory, the new renderings became law upon the approval from both the House and the Senate.
The new districts have altered the shape and range of nearly all of North Carolina’s 13 districts, leaving those running for the U.S. House of Representatives scrambling.
The March 15 primary will be held and voters will cast their ballots in the party races for President, Senate, Governor and local elections.
Voters will be asked to go back to the polls in the Congressional primary on June 7, if a stay is not granted.
If a stay is not issued by the March 15 primary, a second filing period will be opened to file for the U.S. House of Representatives. If the U.S. Supreme Court issues a stay, all races will be held during the March 15 primary.
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