Wiley Nickel: “In a time when public trust in government is declining, the American people deserve a fair and transparent redistricting…”

“In a time when public trust in government is declining, the American people deserve a fair and transparent redistricting process that ensures that every voice and every vote is heard and accounted for. The number of truly competitive districts is also declining in the U.S. Congress. We are seeing more polarization and less willingness to work across the aisle to do what is right for our country. Unfortunately, in North Carolina and across the country, partisan gerrymandering has been used as a tool by politicians of both parties to manipulate electoral outcomes with almost surgical precision. Some people in North Carolina have seen their district lines and their Representative in Congress change four times in the last 10 years because of gerrymandering by the North Carolina General Assembly. Courts threw out electoral maps drawn by Republican legislators three times in the past decade due to gerrymandering: in 2016, 2019, and 2021. We recently, though, had a brief moment of relief. In the last election, North Carolina voters sent seven Democrats and seven Republicans to the U.S. Congress under fair court-drawn maps for our 50/50 State. North Carolina's 13th District, which I am proud to represent, is a true swing district. In 2023, our constituents had to suffer through yet another unprecedented redraw, resulting in yet another partisan gerrymander for North Carolina. The maps are again being litigated in the courts.…”