CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the next week, North Carolina state lawmakers will be working to draw new district lines for U.S. House and state Senate and House districts. It's a consequential process that often happens out of public sight.
"What we're likely to see are the maps drawn already behind closed doors," Dr. Michael Bitzer, political science professor at Catawba College, told WCNC Charlotte. "They'll be released probably next week, we'll have probably a very short legislative session to approve them. They are not subject to the governor's veto. So they will automatically become law once the maps are passed by both chambers,"
Bitzer explained that the process is perfectly legal and the way North Carolina redistricting has happened for decades, under both Democrats and Republicans.
"We've been doing this basically since the 1980s. So this is kind of standard operating procedure for North Carolina," Bitzer said.
With super-majorities in both the state House and Senate and a Republican-controlled state Supreme Court, Democrats have limited power outside legal challenges.
"They (Republicans) have carte blanche to do whatever they want in terms of drawing the districts to benefit their party over the Democrats," Bitzer said.
Redistricting allows the party in control to draw districts that favor their candidates.
Currently, North Carolina's congressional delegation is evenly split, with seven Democrats and seven Republicans. Bitzer said redrawn maps would likely give Republicans a 10-4, or even an 11-3, advantage.
That shift could have national implications on who runs the U.S. Capitol.
"Republicans need as many congressional seats as they can to buffer their very slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives," Bitzer said.
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