Federal judges have agreed to consolidate two lawsuits challenging North Carolina’s new election maps. State legislative leaders had requested the consolidation. Plaintiffs in both cases had opposed the request.
North Carolina’s top legislative leaders oppose a plan to combine an injunction hearing and trial in a lawsuit challenging the state’s 30-day residency requirement for voters. Plaintiffs working with Democratic operative Marc Elias’ law firm proposed the plan last month.
Top state legislative leaders filed paperwork Thursday in federal court to consolidate two of the three lawsuits challenging North Carolina’s new statewide election maps. Lawmakers’ court filing suggests that plaintiffs in the two cases oppose the plan.
Government consolidation is one of those causes that sound promising – though, admittedly not scintillating – and yet must be pursued thoughtfully, considering the likely costs and benefits.
KINSTON — Consolidation is much easier said than done, some city and county officials are finding out. Although smaller areas, such as Gastonia County and Bessemer City, are grappling with ways to merge their local governments, the most notable cities and counties trying to create regional homogenous bureaucracies in North Carolina are New Hanover County-Wilmington in the Southeast and Mecklenburg County-Charlotte in the Piedmont. In each case, the idea of merging the two entities and sharing costs has looked good on paper, but has met with less than an enthusiastic response from government officials and the general public.
