PolitiFact NC examines gerrymandering, uncontested races
An anti-gerrymandering group, Common Cause, said in a recent video that half of all North Carolina legislative races are unopposed because of the lopsided way the districts have been drawn.
PolitiFact NC looked into that claim. For a swing state in a presidential election year, it seemed surprising that so many state senators and representatives would be given free rides into office.
And furthermore, is gerrymandering entirely to blame?
For all the findings, read the full story here.
Just how much blame does gerrymandering deserve for the 70 uncontested #NCGA races this November? We explore it here https://t.co/nU3k6nXxFd
— PolitiFact NC (@PolitiFactNC) August 10, 2016
Doran: 919-836-2858; Twitter: @will_doran
Speaker: Common Cause NC
Statement: “Half of all NC legislative candidates are unopposed because of gerrymandering.”
Ruling: Neither part of the statement is 100 percent accurate. Fewer than half of candidates for the General Assembly are unopposed, but not by much. And experts agree that while it is a factor, gerrymandering is not the only reason why candidates go unopposed. We rate this claim Mostly True.
This story was originally published August 10, 2016 at 1:11 PM with the headline "PolitiFact NC examines gerrymandering, uncontested races."