GOP’s new map undercuts Black representation in Eastern North Carolina district

The new congressional map proposed by North Carolina Republicans would significantly lower the influence of Black voters in a district that has been represented by Black lawmakers for over 30 years.

Under the new map, the 1st Congressional District, which is currently represented by Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat, would be redrawn to be more favorable to Republicans.

It would also lower the proportion of Black, Hispanic and other racial and ethnic minority voters in the district by nearly 10 percentage points.

Irving Joyner, a law professor at N.C. Central University, said the map “decimated” the Black community in northeastern North Carolina and would “overshadow its traditionally strong African-American voting power.”

The 1st district encompasses all of northeastern North Carolina, which is part of the state’s historic “Black belt” and home to all eight of the state’s majority-Black counties.

Both versions of the 1st district include these majority-Black counties, but the new map significantly dilutes the overall proportion of Black voters by adding several majority-white counties.

Under the current congressional map, 49% of voters in the 1st district are racial or ethnic minorities — 40% of whom are Black.

Under the new plan, the district would become nearly 60% white and 40% minority, according to data from the website Dave’s Redistricting App.

G.K. Butterfield, who represented the 1st district for nearly 20 years, told The News & Observer that the area has a long history as a majority-minority district and should not be altered now.

“The vote of the African-American community does not need to be submerged into an area where Black voters will not have the opportunity to elect their preferred candidate,” he said.

Critics are almost certain to sue over the new map, alleging that it violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which bans voting practices that discriminate on the basis of race.

Ironically, the current map is already facing a racial gerrymandering challenge in federal court — though the judge has yet to issue a ruling.

Courts in North Carolina and across the country have historically interpreted Section 2 to sometimes require the drawing of majority-minority districts, which the 1st district has historically been.

In 1992, Eva Clayton became the first Black woman to represent the 1st district after lawmakers redrew the map to create a majority-minority district. Since then, the 1st district has been represented by Black members of Congress, including Frank Ballance, Butterfield and now Davis.

But Section 2 could be in trouble.

The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could gut the longstanding law. During oral arguments this week, the court’s conservative majority appeared poised to rule against Section 2, NPR reported.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that “race-based remedies” such as those put forth in Section 2 “are permissible for a period of time... but they should not be indefinite.”

Joyner said he doesn’t have faith that the Supreme Court will “uphold the principles of the Voting Rights Act.”

“... It’s a matter of how we continue this fight In the face of a legal system that has turned against this belief in an integrated democratic society,” he said.

This story was originally published October 18, 2025 at 5:00 AM.

Kyle Ingram

The News & Observer

Kyle Ingram is the Democracy Reporter for the News & Observer. He reports on voting rights, election administration, the state judicial branch and more. He is a graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC-Chapel Hill.