NC 2012 Redistricting Panel Announced

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / wednesday feb 23 2011


House Speaker Thom Tillis has announced his appointments to the panel that will redraw the House's district maps for the 2012 election.

There are 19 Democrats on the committee and 24 Republicans. The Rs include seven leaders from all over the state, coast to coast. Harnett Republican David Lewis will be senior chairman.

Tillis had previously said the committee's partisan makeup would reflect the balance of the
House at large. He couldn't have gotten much closer. Dems make up 43 percent of the House overall, and 44 percent of the redistricting committee.

A few details that jumped out:

The GOP side includes seven freshman, a surprisingly high number for a committee that relies on political savoir-faire.

More than half the Democrats on the panel are African-American lawmakers. That's not proportionate to the House caucus but makes some sense in the context of voting rights issues.

There are several Triad/Piedmont Republicans on the panel but only one Democrat: Earline Parmon. That could be a sign the House GOP may be looking to pick up seats there.
Here's the roster as it was announced recently in House session:

House Redistricting Committee
Senior Chairman: David Lewis (R-Harnett)
Chairmen: Jerry Dockham (R-Davidson) and Nelson Dollar (R-Wake)
Vice-chairs: Justin Burr (R-Stanly), Danny McComas (R-New Hanover), Ruth Samuelson (R-Mecklenburg) and Roger West (R-Cherokee)

Republican Members:
Rayne Brown (R-Davidson)
Bill Cook (R-Beaufort)
Leo Daughtry (R-Johnston)
John Faircloth (R-Guilford)
Julia Howard (R-Davie)
Dan Ingle (R-Alamance)
Bert Jones (U-Rockingham)*
Ric Killian (R-Mecklenburg)
J.H. Langdon (R-Johnston)
Bill McGee (R-Forsyth)
Tim Moffitt (R-Buncombe)
Tim Moore (R-Cleveland)
Shirley Randleman (R-Wilkes)
Johnathan Rhyne (R-Lincoln)
Norm Sanderson (R-Pamlico)
Paul Stam (R-Wake)
Sarah Stevens (R-Surry)
(*Jones is unaffiliated, but caucuses with the GOP.)

Democratic Members:
Kelly Alexander (D-Mecklenburg)
Larry Bell (D-Sampson)
Angela Bryant (D-Halifax)
Tricia Cotham (D-Mecklenburg)
Jim Crawford (D-Granville)
Beverly Earle (D-Meck)
Jean Farmer-Butterfield (D-Wilson)
Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe)
Elmer Floyd (D-Cumberland)
Rosa Gill (D-Wake)
Joe Hackney (D-Orange)
Darren Jackson (D-Wake)
Marvin Lucas (D-Cumberland)
Annie Mobley (D-Hertford)
Earline Parmon (D-Forsyth)
Garland Pierce (D-Scotland)
Ray Rapp (D-Madison)
Tim Spear (D-Chowan)
Winkie Wilkins (D-Person)

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