New NC political map quickly challenged in court as racial discrimination

Kyle Ingram and Danielle Battaglia, The News & Observer on Oct 23, 2025

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A group of voters is challenging North Carolina’s new Republican-drawn congressional map in federal court.

Their complaint Thursday came in the form of a new legal filing in an existing lawsuit challenging a previous round of redistricting. It was just one day after lawmakers, heeding President Donald Trump’s call for more favorable maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, approved the new map in a party-line vote.

Three judges hearing the existing lawsuit had ordered that by 5 p.m. Monday, both the plaintiffs and the defendants file briefs addressing the development of the new map on the pending litigation.

In a statement by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Chairwoman Suzan DelBene said: “I made clear that the DCCC would fight against this illegal map in the courts, and that’s exactly what we’re continuing to do today with these new claims filed on behalf of Black voters.”

The new map redraws the 1st Congressional District, which is located in northeastern North Carolina and encompasses the state’s historic “Black Belt.” For over 30 years, the 1st district has elected Black lawmakers to Congress, including current Democratic Rep. Don Davis.

But the new map significantly undercuts the influence of Black voters by adding several majority-white, Republican-leaning counties along the coast into the district.

Republican lawmakers frequently stated that they did not use racial data in the creation of the new map.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are asking the courts to declare that the new map intentionally discriminates against minority voters, among other claims.

The lawsuit is filed by eight residents of the 1st and 3rd congressional districts, whose boundaries were redrawn this week by lawmakers, and 13 others living in areas like Guilford, Mecklenburg and Gaston counties.