As many across the state lobbied to keep the lines in place for the March 15 primary, Ophelia Faison said from HCC, "These Congressional districts have been redrawn through racial lines. It's a form of gerrymandering.”
Faison told the local and statewide audience, “If you look at the map, it's drawn oddly shaped. Groups of blacks are packed into one district. It's always a good time to do what's right. In terms of the elections going on right now. In terms of the absentee ballots, sometimes we have to step back. Even though voting has already started. It would behoove us to do what's right and, if necessary, start this election process over again."
Gary Grant, of Concerned Citizens of Tillery, chastised state Senator Bob Rucho, who presided over the teleconference from Raleigh, for calling the meetings at essentially the last minute. “You knew for over a week you that you had to redraw. How can our citizens make intelligent comments on something we have not seen?”
Grant, who described the First Congressional District line represented by G.K. Butterfield as resembling clown shoes, told the statewide panel, “How do we know that you won't produce the same kind of crazy map as before?”
He told Rucho, “What you are doing is not legislative leadership. These hearings are a joke and make no sense to voters and we will still be in the dark.”
Many citizens had already spoke against the lines before they were approved previously, Grant said. “The election going forth should not go forth. Step back. It is clear gerrymandering took place. Stop blaming Eric Holder for our legislative shortcomings.”
Reverend C.E. McCollum, of the Roanoke Valley chapter of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, told legislators, “The federal judges have no dog in the fight. They are appointed for life and therefore they should not be affected by political political pressure to rule one way or another.”
Clinton Williams, a member of the Northampton County Board of Education, said, “This issue creates a racial disparity. The right to do the right thing is always right.”
