North Carolina Federal Panel Asked to Invalidate Legislative District Boundaries

On November 23, a 3-judge U.S. District Court heard arguments in Covington v State of North Carolina, m.d., 1:15cv-399. The plaintiffs are African-American voters who charge that the 2011 legislative redistricting packed too many of them in a small number of legislative districts, thus reducing their voting influence in many other adjoining legislative districts.

The case was filed May 19, 2015. The hearing was on the request for a preliminary injunction against using the districts in the 2016 election. The three judges are Thomas D. Schroeder (a Bush Jr. appointee), James A. Wynn Jr. (an Obama appointee), and Catherine C. Eagles (an Obama appointee). See this story.

Former Republican State Chair Files Challenge to Donald Trump’s Ballot Access in New Hampshire

Fergus Cullen, a former Republican state party chair in New Hampshire, has challenged Donald Trump’s right to be on the Republican presidential ballot. See this story.

Cullen is an extreme example of the tendency prevalent in the United States that if you don’t like a candidate’s political views, you attack the ability of ordinary people to vote for that person. Thanks to Doug McNeil for the link.

UPDATE: the challenge was rejected at the November 24 meeting of the Ballot Law Commission.