City Council And Statewide Primaries Likely To Be Delayed Again – The Rhino Times of Greensboro – The Rhino TImes

Remember that Greensboro City Council primary that was supposed to be held on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021 and then was delayed to Tuesday, March 8, 2022 and then was delayed to Tuesday, May 17?

Well, it looks like its going to be delayed again, and not necessarily for the last time, to Tuesday, June 7.

Its not just the Greensboro City Council primary that is being delayed, but the statewide primary that is now being delayed because of the legal challenges to the redistricting maps drawn by the Republican-led legislature for the congressional districts and the state House and state Senate districts.

The North Carolina Senate is set to vote on Wednesday, Jan. 19 on further delaying the statewide primaries to Tuesday, June 7.

The NC Supreme Court on Dec. 8 suspended filing for all 2022 elections and delayed the primary from March 8 to May 17.

A three-judge panel on Jan. 11 ruled the redistricting maps constitutional, noting that the maps were partisan but that they were not unconstitutional.

The cases were appealed to the NC Supreme Court and oral arguments in those lawsuits are set for Feb. 2.

The State Board of Elections says that it needs finalized districts in place by Feb. 14 in order to hold the primaries on May 17, which would allow the NC Supreme Court only 12 days to hear the redistricting case, rule on it and if the NC Supreme Court finds that the districts are unconstitutional, the legislature would then have to redraw the districts and get those approved all in the 12 day timeframe.

Because the NC Supreme Court has a 4-to-3 Democratic majority it is anticipated that the court will find the districts drawn by the Republican legislature to favor Republican candidates unconstitutional.

The Greensboro City Council election was originally delayed by the state legislature because the 2020 Census data needed to redraw city council districts was delayed due to issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current members of the Greensboro City Council are serving terms extended until a City Council election is held. Delaying the primary to June 7 would also delay the City Council general election and the terms of the current members of the City Council presumably until July or August.

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City Council And Statewide Primaries Likely To Be Delayed Again - The Rhino Times of Greensboro - The Rhino TImes