Nov. 1. By Dave Vieser. With public hearings completed, local political consultants are beginning to focus on how the new districts drawn by the GOP-controlled legislature may look in advance of the 2022 elections—the first time they will be used.
A lawsuit has already been filed in State Superior Court raising questions about when or whether the new districts will see the light of day as drawn.
Marcus at risk?
Nevertheless, political interests are closely examining the proposed changes, and some would impact Cornelius. For example, in the likely Senate map, precinct 202 in the eastern section of Cornelius would be combined with the two Davidson precincts and then rolled into Senate District 39 with Iredell County. It would be considered a Republican District.
Current NC Sen. Natasha Marcus, a Democrat, would be double-bunked with Sen. Vickie Sawyer. Double-bunked means that two incumbent members are drawn together in the same district ensuring that if both choose to seek re-election one will lose.
State law requires House and Senate members to live in the district they represent.
Concerns
Davidson Mayor Rusty Knox said this was uncharted territory for his town.
Mayor Knox
“I’ve known Sen. Sawyer for a few years and have a good relationship with her,” Knox said.
“My biggest concern is that the lion’s share of this district is comprised of Iredell County, not Mecklenburg. Being a neighbor to Mooresville has been something we’ve embraced and there have been and will continue to be many more collaborative opportunities for both of us. However, we are in uncharted waters with our relationship with most of Iredell County, it’s direction and how this plays out for our town.”
House 98 likely stays the same
Neither the final House nor Congressional maps have been released, but in the likely House map, North Mecklenburg would stay together with NC Rep. John Bradford of Cornelius.
Former NC Rep. Christy Clark, who Bradford defeated in 2020, is emailing constituents urging them to vote Nov. 2, and using a District 98 logo, suggesting she is planning to run next year. She could not be reached for comment. 
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In the Congressional map, North Mecklenburg, along with a small part of West Mecklenburg, would move from Congressional District 12 into a new district which would go from Mecklenburg County westward.
Lawsuit filed
Whether any of these changes actually happen will most likely be determined by the courts. In their lawsuit filed Friday afternoon Oct. 29, the NAACP and Common Cause are asking the state Superior Court to intervene in the process. They claim that Republicans are breaking rules designed to ensure Black voters can elect their favored candidates.The state’s elected officials planned to start voting on the new maps this week.
Per state law, Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, has no veto power on the new maps.
