House Redistricting Plan 'double-Bunks' Members In Four Districts | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This post was created by the staff for the Carolina Journal, John Hood Publisher.

    Eight members of the state House either will face challenges from incumbents or will need to run for election in new legislative districts.

    Proposed maps for the 2018 election cycle came out Saturday afternoon from the office of Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, who heads the House redistricting committee. Additional information, including street-level data, will be released Monday, a release from Lewis' office said.

    The maps are first drafts. The committee will accept input and consider recommendations Tuesday during a hearing at the Legislative Building and at seven satellite locations around the state.

    Four of the eight "double-bunked" incumbents belong to the same party. The other four are members of opposing parties:

• Republican Reps. Jon Hardister and John Faircloth of Guilford County now would reside in District 61. District 59 is an open seat.
• Republican Reps. Carl Ford, Rowan County, and Larry Pittman, Cabarrus County, would run against each other in District 83. None of the adjacent districts are open seats.
• GOP Rep. Susan Martin and Democratic Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield now live in the same proposed Wilson County district, known as District 24. District 8, covering part of Pitt County, would become an open seat.
• Republican Rep. John Sauls and Democratic Rep. Robert Reives are double-bunked in the proposed District 51, encompassing all of Lee and part of Harnett counties. District 24 in Chatham County would be an open seat.

    Senate maps are expected at any time.

    Both House and Senate maps must be submitted to a panel of three federal judges by the end of the month for their review.

    For a larger version of the maps, click here (large PDF document).