The state Senate Sunday night released its proposed legislative maps for the 2018 general election. Similar to the House plan, the Senate proposal would force incumbents in four of the new districts to oppose one another.
One of those incumbents already has announced plans to retire.
The maps, mandated by a three-judge panel in a federal lawsuit, must be approved by the General Assembly by Sept. 1. and sent to the judicial panel. The court ruled the existing districts, drawn in 2011, were racially gerrymandered, violating the U.S. Constitution.
Under the proposed maps, four Senate Districts — District 1, covering the northeastern corner of the state; District 16, covering part of western Wake County; District 33, comprising Rowan and Stanly counties; and District 34, encompassing Yadkin and Iredell counties — would become open seats.
The incumbents who would run against one another are:
- Sen. Bill Cook, a Republican now in District 1 and Sen. Erica Smith-Ingram, the Democratic incumbent in District 3;
- Republican Sens. John Alexander and Chad Barefoot in District 18.
- Republican Sens. Joyce Krawiec and Dan Barrett in District 31. Barrett, a former Davie County commissioner and GOP candidate for governor, recently was appointed to complete the term of 34th District Sen. Andrew Brock. Brock resigned to take an open seat on the state Board of Review;
- Republican Sens. Shirley Randleman and Deanna Ballard in the new 45th District.
Shortly before the maps were unveiled, Barefoot announced he would not run for re-election.
In a statement, Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, chairman of the Senate redistricting committee, said detailed data on the districts will be released Monday.
The proposed Senate maps are here (large PDF document).