Supreme Court to hear major case over state legislatures' power to set federal elections rules
CBSN
Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to take up an elections case brought by North Carolina Republicans that could diminish the power of state courts to order changes to rules for federal elections and the redrawing of congressional districts approved by state lawmakers.
The dispute stems from the redistricting process undertaken by North Carolina's GOP-controlled General Assembly after the 2020 Census. New congressional lines adopted by the state legislature gave Republicans an advantage for 10 of the state's 14 House seats, but the state supreme court rejected the map, finding it was an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander under four provisions of the state constitution.
The General Assembly enacted new voting lines, which were again rejected by a North Carolina trial court. The court then approved a map created by a group of special masters and assistants, which for the 2022 election cycle gave Republicans six seats in their favor to Democrats' four, with the four remaining districts more competitive, according to an analysis from the Campaign Legal Center.