03/29/2024
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The proposed plan to be voted on by the General Assembly.
The proposed plan to be voted on by the General Assembly.

Following a federal judge’s declaration that two US House districts in North Carolina were unconstitutional, the Republican lawmakers have reconfigured 13 of the state’s US House districts. The proposal that is set to be voted on Thursday has a portion of Bladen County that would be placed in the 9th District and the remained for the county’s residents would remain in the 7th District.

Based on the proposed map, the 9th district would consist of a portion of Bladen County, a portion of Cumberland County, a portion of Mecklenberg County and all of Robeson, Anson, Scotland, Richmond, and Union counties.

Based on the proposed map, the 7th District would consist of a portion of Bladen County, a portion of Johnston County and all of Columbus, New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Duplin, Sampson and Wayne counties.

The General Assembly was tasked with creating a new map of congressional districts by Friday, Feb. 19. A federal three-judge panel ruled on February 5, that US Congressional Districts 1 and 12 were unconstitutional because they were drawn based on race.

The proposal that was unveiled on Wednesday, if approved, would divide Bladen County between the 9th and 7th Congressional districts. Gov. Pat McCrory convened a special session of the General Assembly for today (Thursday) to vote on the proposed map.

NC House Representative William Brisson said on Thursday morning he did not support a map that would have Bladen County divided between two Congressional districts. Under the current map, Bladen County is in the 7th Congressional District.

Brisson said the current congressional district map was approved by the General Assembly in 2011 and questioned why it took two years for the court to make a ruling on the matter.

Bladen Online has reached out to NC Rep. Ken Waddell and NC Sen. Bill Rabon’s office for comment but had not received a response at this time.

Lawmakers hope the US Supreme Court will issue a stay an allow the March 15 primary to go forward and have the redistricting issue addressed in 2018.

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