A federal court in Winston-Salem will hold a pivotal hearing on November 19 over North Carolina’s newly redrawn congressional maps, which Republicans aim to use in the 2026 midterm elections. The three-judge panel—Chief Judge Richard Myers, along with Judges Allison Rushing and Thomas Schroeder—will consider a request for a preliminary injunction from plaintiffs challenging the map.
The hearing comes just days before North Carolina’s candidate filing period begins on December 1. The State Board of Elections has warned that a final map decision must be in place by that date to proceed with the 2026 election cycle.
Under the map approved in Senate Bill 249, Republicans seek to shift the state’s congressional delegation from its current 10-4 majority to a stronger 11-3 advantage. The changes affect multiple districts, including a major realignment in the northeastern part of the state, where Beaufort, Hyde, Dare, Craven, Pamlico, and Carteret counties move from the 3rd to the 1st Congressional District. Meanwhile, Wilson, Wayne, Greene, and Lenoir counties shift from the 1st to the 3rd.
The changes could end a Democrat stronghold in northeastern North Carolina that has lasted since 1882. GOP lawmakers designed the realignment with an eye toward flipping that seat, previously held by Democrat Don Davis, who won by just 13% in 2024—the closest race among the state’s 14 districts.
Dismissal motions have also been filed by state attorneys. Plaintiffs have until November 21 to respond, and defendants will reply by November 28. A full trial is expected next year, with discovery starting December 1 and pretrial briefs due by May 6.
North Carolina’s congressional maps have been contested in four of the last five election cycles, reflecting ongoing legal and political battles over redistricting power and election outcomes.
