WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Nov 29 (Reuters) - A U.S. federal court on Tuesday set a March 15 deadline for North Carolina state lawmakers to redraw legislative districts found to be racially "gerrymandered," and ordered a new round of elections by next November for the 28 seats at stake.
In August, the same special three-judge panel ruled that nine state Senate districts and 19 state House districts, as carved out in a plan adopted by the Republican-controlled legislature in 2011, were unconstitutional.
The panel had told North Carolina's legislature to start revamping its political maps immediately, but left the existing boundaries intact for the Nov. 8 state elections, because of time constraints.
"While special elections have costs, those costs pale in comparison to the injury caused by allowing citizens to continue to be represented by legislators elected pursuant to a racial gerrymander," the panel wrote in its seven-page order on Tuesday.
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In August, the same special three-judge panel ruled that nine state Senate districts and 19 state House districts, as carved out in a plan adopted by the Republican-controlled legislature in 2011, were unconstitutional.
The panel had told North Carolina's legislature to start revamping its political maps immediately, but left the existing boundaries intact for the Nov. 8 state elections, because of time constraints.
"While special elections have costs, those costs pale in comparison to the injury caused by allowing citizens to continue to be represented by legislators elected pursuant to a racial gerrymander," the panel wrote in its seven-page order on Tuesday.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reu...#ixzz4Rbj6rCmQ
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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