Supreme Court Hears Case on 18th House District (NC)

[struggle4progress]

Catherine M. Welch

WILMINGTON, NC (2008-10-14) ... At issue is whether the 18th House district should remain divided between New Hanover and Pender counties to provide a solid minority voting block, or whether it should conform to a provision of the state constitution requiring "whole county" districts.

Lawmakers say they split the district to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act, which protects minority voters. Mark Dorison, an attorney at the UNC Center for Civil Rights, says the Supreme Court's ruling could affect redistricting after the 2010 census ...

Trey Thurman is an attorney representing Pender County commissioners who originally sued the state ...

Voters have elected a black representative to the seat since the current 18th House district was drawn five years ago.

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/whqr/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1389055§ionID=1