Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Aug. 1, 1996, edition 1 / Page 6
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6A NEWS The Charlotte Post August 1, 1996 12th Continued from page 1A African American and 7.9 per cent Native American. It would include most of the heavily-black areas of Charlotte, and Union, Anson, Richmond and Robeson coun ties. The current 12th District snakes along 1-85 to Durham. However, Democrats, includ ing District Judges Dickson Phillips and Earl Britt, said redrawing districts now would be too disruptive. Tuesday’s ruling will be challenged by Durham lawyer Robinson Everett, who brought the lawsuit leading to the Supreme Court’s May rul ing that the 12th District vio lated the constitution because it was based “solely” on achieving a black majority. Everett was planning Wednesday to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to order N.C. congressional districts redrawn immediately. Watt and fellow N.C. African American representative Eva Clayton sent affidavits to the judges’ panel, which held a hearing Monday on whether to redraw districts before or after the November election. In arguing for delaying redistricting. Watt told the court, “A new district will be more likely to generate oppo sition in the primary for an incumbent, because it will include those new con stituents who have not been represented by the incumbent before. “In order to effectively edu cate voters about the candi dates, their records, and their views, the incumbent will have to establish lines of com munication with the new vot ers in the district,” Watt said. “New constituents deserve ample time to evaluate the voting and performance record of a candidate who has previ ously served a different con stituency.” Watt cited the high concen tration of poor and under-edu cated voters in the current 12th District. “Candidates will have to be especially aggressive in com municating with these voters to inform them of which dis trict they have been assigned to,” Watt said. “If candidates do not have sufficient time to disseminate information about the new districts and candidates, voters will be con fused about who is running and who they can vote for. “Scheduling a quick election with little notice either to can didates or voters would lead to substantial confusion and probably would result in severe restriction of the num ber of constituents who actu ally vote.” Watt also pointed out that a runoff, if required after the primary, would further com pound the problems of a short ened election period. In addition. Watt said: “I have 450 active constituent service case files in which my office is handling federal issues for constituents who live in the 12th District. An abrupt change in districts will result in hardship to these constituents in that the files and casework of those who are no longer in the 12th District would have to be assumed by a new representative and the continuity of services to those constituents would almost cer tainly be impacted.” Until two majority-black dis tricts were drawn for the 1992 elections, from which Watt and Eva Clayton were elected to the to U.S. House, no African American had served in the Congress from North Carolina since 1901. Clayton’s 1st District was untouched by the court and remains essen tially the same under the House plan. That district would also lose its black majority. African Americans of voting age would be 47.4 percent of the 1st District. Redrawing districts could involve substantial cost to the state, as much as $2 million for a new round of primaries. “You have to redo everybody, everybody’s district would change,” House Rules Committee counsel Linwood Jones said last week. “You would have to have candidates file again, and hold new pri maries for the election. Jones also noted that Texas, where a majority black dis trict was thrown out along with the 12th district, is redrawing district lines. CWWilliams Health Center 3333 Wilkinson Blvd. • (704) 393-7720 r i: c "We Provide Primary & Preventive Medical Care for the ENTIRE FAMILY' On Site Pharmacy, X-Ray & Laboratory Services Call For Appointment or Information Hours: Mon. & Fri, 8:30am - 5:30pm, Wed. 10am - 5:30pm, OPEN TWO EVENINGS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE Tue. & Thur. 8:30am - 8:30pm Medicare • Medicaid • Sliding Fee • Costwisc/PCP • Private Ins.. 'WiiEiic Cake am^ C()mi>assi()\ CilMES Tdc.etiiek" .Dream Bigger. o Borrow smarter. 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