Supreme Court Rules Against North Carolina Republicans' Redistricting Plan

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against a bid by North Carolina Republican lawmakers to amplify the power of state-level politicians over federal elections by limiting the ability of state courts to review their actions in a ruling with major implications for the American democratic process.

The decision upheld a 2022 ruling by the North Carolina Supreme Court, as the justices declined to embrace a once-marginal legal theory called the "independent state legislature" doctrine favored by conservatives that removes any role of state courts and state constitutions in regulating presidential and congressional elections.

The legal theory is based in part on the U.S. Constitution's statement that the "times, places and manner" of federal elections "shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof."

Gerrymandering is a practice involving the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to marginalize a certain set of voters and increase the influence of others. In this case, the Republican legislators were accused of partisan gerrymandering to marginalize Democratic voting power.