Court Panel Orders 2017 Legislative Election

A three-judge federal court panel on Tuesday ordered North Carolina to hold a special legislative election next year after 28 state House and Senate districts are redrawn to comply with a gerrymandering ruling, according to this story in the News & Observer.

But don't make any plans yet. The original court case is still under appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. This same panel ruled thes districts unconstitutional earlier this year, claiming they were racially gerrymandered, but allowed the 2016 election to take place anyway.
Republicans, naturally, were furious, calling it a politically-motivated decision. 

The Republicans are correct. Redistricting is political. So are the dueling lawsuits inevitably filed no matter which of the old parties redistricts. North Carolina desperately needs a more independent redistricting process. If the Democrats and Republicans truly believed every vote should count, they would make the redistricting process as nonpartisan and independent as possible, following the Iowa model.

But Libertarians won't hold our breath waiting for that to happen. Because when it comes right down to it, neither Republicans nor Democrats really believe your vote should count unless it is given to them.

That's why Gov. Pat McCrory is challenging votes and demanding a recount, Hillary Clinton is doing the same in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. President-elect Donald Trump believes "millions" of people voted illegal -- offering no evidence -- even though he won.


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