Republicans Divided Over Amendment

Danny Lineberry, spokesman for House Speaker Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, said Black is exploring the possibility of asking voters to remove the whole-county provision from the state constitution.

The whole-county provision states that legislative districts cannot split counties.

"At this point no one is trying to amend the constitution," Lineberry said. "It's just one of many possible options being considered if the state loses the redistricting lawsuit."

Members of the Republican party filed a lawsuit last November challenging the House and Senate redistricting plans, claiming Democrats violated the state constitution by splitting counties and packing voting districts.

Lineberry said Black has not actively discussed the possibility of an amendment yet because he is confident the state will win the redistricting lawsuit.

Amending the state constitution requires a three-fifths majority vote in both the House and Senate, as well as approval by popular vote.

Although the Democratic party holds 70 percent of the seats in the Senate, it would need to sway 10 Republicans in the House in order to win a three-fifths majority.

Senate Minority Leader Patrick Ballantine, R-New Hanover, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said there is no way Democrat leaders will be able to sway enough Republican support to pass the amendment.

"I think they would be ostracized for putting themselves above principle," he said. "I don't think people would appreciate politicians that put themselves above what's right for the state."

Ballantine said attempting to amend the constitution if the Republican lawsuit is successful would be a last-ditch move for state Democrats.

"Desperate measures would require desperate moves," he said. "It would be their leaders trying to hold onto 134 years of uninterrupted power."

He added that the move would likely leave a bad taste in the mouths of the voters, who would see the amendment as a gambit to change the rules of the game at the last minute.

But not all Republicans agree with Ballantine. Rep. David Miner, R-Wake, said there are a number of House Republicans who are happy with the redistricting plans as passed.

"Some Republicans agree with the idea that smaller districts are better districts," he said. "Some believe that, from a historical perspective, single-member districts have been beneficial for the Republican party."

Miner said it would be possible for House Democrats to woo these Republicans over for a majority vote.

Miner also challenged Ballantine's claim that dissenting Republicans would be ostracized from the party.

"I totally disagree with that," he said. "He needs to represent the views of all Republicans. I'd like to know if he's speaking as (Senate) minority leader or as a plaintiff in a lawsuit."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.