Judges rule that Charleston’s first voting district should not be split.
The District Court of South Carolina ruled that legislators split up minority neighborhoods in Charleston’s 1st voting district to diminish their voting power. The panel of three federal judges held in the unanimous opinion of the court, “The movement of over 30,000 African Americans in a single county from Congressional District No. 1 to Congressional District No. 6 created a stark racial gerrymander of Charleston County.”
The lawsuit was brought to court by the South Carolina conference of the NAACP. The court gave state legislators until March to redraw a map of the 1st voting district that adequately protects the voting rights of its residents. The court also ruled that no elections can take place in the 1st district until its map has been redrawn and approved.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For federal judges to be discerning as they hear cases regarding voting districts and other election concerns.
- For wisdom for state legislators as they determine and vote on election reforms.
- For U.S. officials as they endeavor to ensure the integrity of elections and the accurate tabulation of ballots.
Sources: NY Times, Reuters
