Byline: Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court refused on Wednesday to order North Carolina congressional election districts redrawn in time for the November vote, even though it declared one district unconstitutional earlier this year.
The justices, without comment, let stand a lower court ruling that said the campaigns were too far along to redraw the election districts now. The primary vote was held in May.
In June, the justices ruled 5-4 that North Carolina's majority-black 12th congressional district was unlawfully created because race was the predominant factor. But the high court did not say how soon the districts must be redrawn.
The justices in June also struck down three congressional districts in Texas. In an effort to comply with the ruling, a federal court in Texas decided this month to redraw 13 congressional districts and throw out the results of primary elections held in March.
But a federal court in North Carolina voted 2-1 last month not to order new election districts in that state drawn in time for the Nov. 5 election.
The court gave state lawmakers until April 1, 1997, to draw new congressional election districts. If they fail to do so, the court said it would step in and impose its own plan.
A group of voters who had challenged the majority-black district asked the Supreme Court this month to intervene.
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