By Cassie Gavin
Director of Government Relations
Big news! Today at the N.C. General Assembly; Representatives Robert Reives (D-Chatham), Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson), Brian Turner (D-Buncombe) and Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) filed House Bill 69, “Nonpartisan Redistricting Commission,” to create an independent redistricting commission to address gerrymandering. The N.C. Sierra Club has long supported bills like this to set up a better redistricting process than the highly partisan system that North Carolina has now.
Opportunity for Action:
Calls and emails to your legislators are needed!
Please reach out to your state representative to ask them to co-sponsor this bill. House members have 72 hours from bill-filing to sign on as a co-sponsor.
Also please thank the primary sponsors of the bill, listed above, for their leadership.
Bills like HB 69 have been filed in previous years by Republicans and Democrats; in fact, nearly half of the majority party representatives now serving have voted for a bill like this in the past.
HB 69 would set up a an 11-member independent commission of four Republicans, four Democrats and three members of other political parties to make voting maps with staff assistance. There would be hearings and comment opportunities for the public. The maps would be required to be compact, contiguous and in compliance with state and federal laws. The districts drawn by the commission would then be voted on by the General Assembly and take effect in the next redistricting cycle in 2021.