Watauga County voters have asked a federal court to prevent the use of voting maps drawn by Republican lawmakers for the 2026 election. The request comes as part of an ongoing lawsuit challenging what plaintiffs describe as unconstitutional redistricting that overrides local preferences.
The lawsuit, filed on October 1 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, includes individual voters and nonpartisan groups such as the Watauga County Voting Rights Taskforce and Common Cause North Carolina. It contests both the structure of county board elections and an additional law passed by state legislators that blocked a local referendum result.
In November 2024, Watauga residents voted by a large margin—71% to 29%—in favor of new electoral districts designed to ensure fair representation. This plan was developed by the county’s Board of Commissioners and included two at-large seats and three districts with equal populations, contiguous boundaries, and no consideration of party affiliation during map drawing.
Despite this approval, legislation led by Senator Ralph Hise prevented these voter-approved changes from taking effect until 2034. According to plaintiffs, this action uniquely targets Watauga County; no other county in North Carolina faces similar restrictions.
Ray Russell, a former Watauga County Commissioner and plaintiff in the case, stated: “Watauga County voters would suffer deep and irreparable harm to our fundamental constitutional freedoms if the unlawful districts imposed on us by Raleigh politicians are used for the 2026 election. We’re asking the court to provide relief to the people of our community so that our rights are respected and we have a voice in choosing who represents us in our local government.”
Bob Phillips, Executive Director of Common Cause North Carolina, added: “Whether it’s our congressional districts or local county lines, every North Carolinian deserves fair maps that reflect communities – not politicians’ self-interest. Our fight in Watauga and across the state is about returning power to the people.”
The disputed maps were introduced during Senator Hise’s tenure as chair of the NC Senate’s Elections Committee. These changes altered both commissioner and school board district boundaries. Plaintiffs allege that students at Appalachian State University were concentrated into two overpopulated districts through map manipulation—a move they argue diminishes student voting power—and note that some precincts now cross multiple districts with up to a nearly 10% population variance between them.
The complaint argues these legislative actions violate First Amendment rights and equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment by placing illegal burdens on voters based on their viewpoints.
A motion for preliminary injunction seeks either immediate adoption of locally approved maps or reinstatement of previous election methods until litigation concludes.
