THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 25, 1996 TAG: 9607250350
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY DENNIS PATTERSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: 87 lines
A state lawmaker plans to keep pushing a congressional redistricting plan even though no one has endorsed it and only a few people at a 90-minute public hearing Wednesday said it was even necessary.
``We think it's a plan that will receive swift pre-clearance (from the U.S. Justice Department) and can be put in place,'' Rep. Richard Morgan, R-Moore, said after the hearing.
Some speakers at the hearing disputed Morgan's contention that the plan has two minority-majority districts.
Census data accompanying the proposal show that blacks, Native Americans, Asians and others make up 52.25 percent of the total population of the proposed new 1st District. But whites account for 51.47 percent of the voting-age population in that district.
In the redrawn 12th District, blacks, Indians, Asians and others make up 51.88 percent of the total population. But whites make up 51.76 percent of the voting-age population.
``There are no minority districts in this plan,'' said Rep. Mickey Michaux, a black Democrat from Durham and one of many speakers to oppose the plan.
Melvin Skip Alston, the acting president of the NAACP state conference, said the plan was ``an insult to the African-American leadership in the House and Senate,'' who were not involved in developing it.
The House Democratic caucus and the joint Legislative Black Caucus sent letters to Attorney General Mike Easley on Wednesday saying the proposal by House Republican leaders does not represent the position of the entire House.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that North Carolina's current 12th congressional district is the result of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering because it was drawn in 1992 specifically to favor a minority candidate. So was the 1st District.
Both districts sent blacks to Congress from North Carolina for the first time in nearly 100 years.
The court said race could be a factor in drawing districts, but not the defining factor. The judges objected to the shape of the 12th, which strings along Interstate 85 from Gastonia to Durham.
Robinson Everett, a Duke University law professor who filed a lawsuit challenging the 12th District, told Morgan and other legislators at the hearing that new districts must be drawn in time for the November elections.
``Two elections under an unconstitutional and unfair system is enough,'' Everett said. ``We need to do something about it.''
Everett said he could not endorse the plan offered by Morgan. He said he would offer two possible plans to a three-judge federal panel when it meets Monday to consider when new plans mustbe drawn.
``I am totally party-blind on this. I am totally race-blind on this,'' Everett said. ``I just want it done right.''
Most of the other speakers, including a large delegation from Harnett and Lee counties, said redistricting should wait until after the November elections. That would put the new districts in place by the 1998 elections.
Several speakers from Harnett and Lee counties opposed Morgan's plan because it would split Harnett County between two congressional districts and join Lee County with Orange County and other urban areas.
The House proposal would create a more compact 1st District stretching along the Virginia border in northeast North Carolina.
Republican-leaning areas of Wake County and surrounding counties would form a new 2nd District, while heavily Democratic areas of Wake and counties to the west would form a new 4th District. No incumbent lives in the proposed 4th District.
The new 3rd District would cover much of the northern coast and coastal plain.
A new 7th congressional district that includes the home of current 2nd District congressman David Funderburk would stretch from Harnett County to Wilmington.
A new 8th District would take away Democratic-leaning counties along the South Carolina border and replace them with more Republican areas like Moore, Davie, Davidson and Rowan counties.
The new 9th District would comprise most of Union, Mecklenburg and Gaston counties, excluding most of Charlotte.
The new 12th District, which Republicans say would favor minorities, would run from Charlotte to Robeson County.
Other districts would face only minor adjustments.
Morgan denied that the new 8th District was drawn to help him if he decides to run against incumbent Democratic Rep. Bill Hefner.
``That was not a criteria for development of this plan,'' Morgan said. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Reps. Julia Howard, R-Davie, left, Howard Hunter, D-Hertford, and
Mary McAllister, D-Cumberland, check maps Wednesday.
KEYWORDS: REDISTRICTING by CNB