The U.S. Supreme Court took no action today on the North Carolina redistricting case for which it recently agreed to put the special elections a lower court ordered on hold.
Justices met for a conference to review cases it could take up, including the state’s appeal in North Carolina v. Covington, in which the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled legislators must hold special elections after legislative district maps were ruled racially gerrymandered.
The court gave no indication when it granted the stay last week of whether it would actually take the case. If it does not, the lower court’s order will remain, and North Carolina will have to hold the special elections.
Justices also have yet to issue an opinion in another North Carolina redistricting case, McCrory v. Harris, which challenges two congressional district maps that the state’s legislature drew. They heard oral argument in that case in early December.
