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The Joint House and Senate Redistricting Committee is holding a public hearing Thursday, July 7, from 3 to 9 p.m. to get input into a proposal to redraw the state’s voting districts, frequently called redistricting.
These districts are important to voters, explains the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, because they can impact who is able to win elections. That means redistricting will also influence what laws are passed and what projects are funded in our communities. The process happens once every 10 years, following the census.
The proposal now calls for rolling the Asheville area into Congressional District 10, which would flow into Burke and other N.C. counties going east, the Mountain Xpress reported recently. Now, Asheville is in District 11 and represented by U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a Democrat. District 10 is now represented by U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican. (We offer you resources to find and contact to find your current congressional and state representatives.)
Comments may be submitted in person, by mail and online.
The committee has scheduled three locations in Western North Carolina where residents may go and offer comments:
- Western Carolina University, Cordelia Camp Building, Room 133-B, 69 East University Way, Cullowhee
- Appalachian State University, Anne Belk Hall, Interactive Video Services, Classroom 023, 224 Joyce Lawrence Lane, Boone
- Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Asheville Campus, Ferguson Building, Ferguson Auditorium, 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville
You can register here to speak at any of the locations.
According to committee information, each speaker is limited to five minutes and is asked to also submit comments in writing.
Written comments may be mailed to:
Redistricting Committee
300 N. Salisbury Street
Suite 545 Legislative Office Building
Raleigh, NC 27603
You may also submit written comments online.
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