Dec. 6. By Dave Yochum. The NC Court of Appeals has halted candidate filing in a wide variety of federal, state and local races around the state. Lawsuits had been filed challenging the new maps which determine the boundaries of various voting districts. Candidate filing started at noon today.

One of the lawsuits, filed by the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, challenged both the legislative and congressional maps. Another, filed by voters supported by a group affiliated with the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, addressed only the state’s U.S. House map.

In NC Senate District 41, part of Cornelius and all of Davidson have been combined with Iredell County, affecting incumbent Natasha Marcus. The new district boundaries would put Cornelius and Davidson into incumbent Vickie Sawyer’s district in Iredell County.

“Today’s decision to delay the start of candidate filings is an important step towards ensuring that North Carolina voters aren’t represented by unconstitutional, partisanly gerrymandered maps. Voters should be able to select the individuals that represent them, not the other way around,” said NC Democratic Party Chair Bobbie Richardson.