NC Supreme Court overturns own decision striking down GOP-drawn congressional maps

The North Carolina Supreme Court on Friday overturned its previous decision blocking Republican-drawn congressional maps over gerrymandering concerns.

Prior to the 2022 midterms elections, the Court held a 4-3 Democratic majority, which blocked the maps, The Hill reported. The midterms, however, produced a 5-2 Republican majority, which agreed to rehear the case and subsequently reinstated the maps.

The court determined that the legislature holds the authority to draw the maps and that the state Constitution does not address gerrymandering. According, the court may not annul them on that basis.

"Our constitution expressly assigns the redistricting authority to the General Assembly subject to explicit limitations in the text," the justices wrote in a Friday ruling. The decision followed the new 5-2 partisan lines. "Those limitations do not address partisan gerrymandering. It is not within the authority of this Court to amend the constitution to create such limitations on a responsibility that is textually assigned to another branch."

The decision to rehear the case itself was a rare one, with the court only having done so twice before in the past 30 years, The Hill noted.

In a separate case, the top court also reinstated a state law requiring voter identification after the court previously determined that it had been enacted with intent to discriminate on a racial basis.

"The people of North Carolina overwhelmingly support voter identification and other efforts to promote greater integrity and confidence in our elections," the justices wrote, per The Hill. "Subjective tests and judicial sleight of hand have systematically thwarted the will of the people and the intent of the legislature. But no court exists for the vindication of political interests, and judges exceed constitutional boundaries when they act as a superlegislature [sic]."

The two rulings are clear wins for Republicans in the Old North State, who appear to be gaining momentum in state politics. Though North Carolina retains its Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, Republicans hold veto-proof majorities in both chambers of the legislature and are theoretically able to override any prospective veto he may issue.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.