Updates on Districts and why we (really) need independent redistricting

North Carolina districts are in the news pretty much every day now and continue to be in flux as we head into the 2020 election cycle. Simple solution: we need independent redistricting commissions, ideally at both the state and local levels. But for now, we weather the chaos caused by extreme gerrymandering.

Last week brought significant news about Buncombe County's General Assembly and County Commission districts. A state court accepted the redrawn maps that the General Assembly had created in September; Common Cause, the plaintiff in the case challenging the previous districts has announced they will file a narrow repeal regarding some districts in the state, but this does not include Buncombe County districts. 

So what does this mean for you? For a lot of people, it means your districts - both state and county  - have changed; for others, you're in the same district. Under the new maps, I move from District 1 to District 2, which means I'll be running for re-election in District 2. I look forward to connecting with more folks across the district and listening to the issues that matter most to people. But one thing that's clear is that County Commissioners represent the entire county and everywhere I go I hear people talking about issues like affordable housing, early childhood education, and how we respond to the opioid crisis. 

You can check out this helpful map that Parker Sloan, candidate for County Commission in District 3, created to see where you live.

Also at play are Congressional districts across the state, which have been ruled unconstitutional due to partisan gerrymandering by the same three-judge panel that decided the state district case. The General Assembly has been ordered to redraw Congressional districts and embarked on that project today. You can read more coverage here.

Oh, one more thing: the districts will all be redrawn again after the 2020 Census. Buckle your seat belts.