High court and districts: Supreme Court rules against N.C. congressional boundaries

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against the boundaries of two congressional districts in North Carolina, saying they were drawn to contain too many black voters. The apparent purpose, the justices said, was to reduce black voter turnout in the other congressional districts in the state.

The districts were drawn by the Republican legislature, and Democrats were quick to hail the decision as right and proper. But Republican leaders denied the districts were drawn with race as the chief determining factor.

The constant redrawing of districts to satisfy politicians' desires has had a detrimental effect on voters, many of whom do not even know which congressional district they are in.

The back-and-forth between the two parties over district lines needs to stop. Gerrymandering districts to accommodate the wishes of party officials has helped lead to the polarization of the country, which has reached epidemic proportions.

We have noted before that the Democrats are responsible for the current system of racial gerrymandering, and it is hypocritical of Democratic leaders to criticize the system they created. In this day and time the idea that black voters will only vote for black candidates and white voters will only vote for white ones is archaic. Moreover, it is damaging to the political system.

Published in Editorials on May 23, 2017 8:03 AM