North Carolina lawmakers return for technical fix to voting maps

RELATED: By Gary D. RobertsonThe Associated Press RALEIGH - Two weeks ago, the Republican majority at the General Assembly said it expected the previously scheduled return to Raleigh today to be nothing some-more than the formality - potentially the handful of lawmakers showing up just to vote to go home again until after Thanksgiving. That was before they learned final week about what legislative staff members call the computer code error. The error left out some-more than 200 small portions of the state from laws approved in July to redraw district boundaries for the legislature and the state's congressional seats. Now, GOP House and Senate leaders say they'll reconvene for up to two days to pass legislation to fix the hitch in the once-a-decade remapping. Democrats, who are in the minority, are ready to verbally jab Republicans over the mistake they say was exacerbated by so many split voting precincts in the GOP-penned maps. Two lawsuits filed final week challenging the maps call the split precincts unlawful. Former state Sen. Margaret Dickson of Fayetteville is the lead plaintiff among 45 people who filed one of the lawsuits Thursday in Wake County Superior Court. Dickson lost her Senate 19 seat to Republican Wesley Meredith final fall in the tight race. The lawsuit filed Thursday cites the new state Senate districts in Cumberland and Hoke counties as examples of illegal drawing of district boundaries. "We wouldn't be coming back (today) if we didn't have all the split precincts," said Senate Minority Leader Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe. "We will certainly make the point that it's the problem directly flowing from their bursting precincts in what we thought was an illegal way." Republicans defend the precinct splits and said the omissions wouldn't change the vote outcomes this summer on the maps because they were technical mistakes. They said they're not surprised that Democrats will use the opportunity to protest the plans they vote! d agains t. "It's going to be the lot of posturing and talking, but I hope to be up in the mountains on Tuesday night," said Republican Sen. Tom Apodaca of Hendersonville, authority of the Senate Rules Committee. With most of the legislature returning to Raleigh, could lawmakers take up other pending legislation? The Republicans didn't disclose the concrete agenda late final week. It will likely depend how long lawmakers want to work, whether GOP leaders in both chambers can work out agreements and if they want to choose to pick fights with Democrats on vetoed or controversial bills. Apodaca said the Senate wants to consider small changes to the state's alcoholic beverage control laws to jump-start an economic development project in western North Carolina. He said late final week that he couldn't talk specifics about the situation but that as many as 200 jobs could be created. Other items have been tossed around in recent weeks at the Legislative Building that lawmakers may act upon before they return for the next regular session in May. Some mentioned formally in the adjournment resolution in September - the final time the legislature met - aren't ready to be considered. Gov. Bev Perdue said final week the proposed expanded gambling agreement with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is still being negotiated. A proposal to help farmers and others who suffered damage from Hurricane Irene also isn't quite ready, the Perdue official said. Democrats will be watching whether the Republican majority will attempt to override bills vetoed earlier this year by Perdue. There are five bills parked on the House calendar, including one that would require voters to show picture identification before voting. Considering other legislation beyond the redistricting fix is the bad idea, said House Minority Leader Joe Hackney, D-Orange. Not all Democrats and Republicans will be in Raleigh - some are going to China on the trip sponsored by an arm of the University of North Carolina. He said lawmaker! s made o ther plans when they were told late final month the legislature wouldn't take up substantive legislation this week. "Neither side will be at full force," he said. "It's not the great time to be doing anything but technical corrections." House Majority Leader Paul Stam, R-Wake, said he has the short list of items he'd want to complete, including getting the Senate to pass the bill that would set limits on campaign donations by vendors who receive certain state contracts. But passing legislation takes agreement between the Senate and House, he said. "There are two bodies," Stam said. "I don't know what the Senate is willing to do."