North Carolina court sides with GOP to reverse district and voter ID rulings

Additionally, the decision could prompt the US supreme court to punt on a closely watched election issue. North Carolina Republicans had asked the US supreme court to strike down the maps and embrace a fringe legal theory saying that state courts do not have the authority to set the rules for federal elections.

Such a ruling would have significant consequences nationwide, giving state legislatures virtually unlimited power to resolve election disputes.

Now that the state supreme court has overturned the earlier ruling, the US supreme court could take a pass on the case.

Writing for the five GOP justices on the court, chief justice Brian Newby said the North Carolina supreme court could not police partisan gerrymandering. The US supreme court said the same for federal courts in 2019.

The court held its rehearings in March.

The North Carolina high court also overturned a lower-level decision on when the voting rights of convicted felons can be restored.

That means potentially tens of thousands of people convicted of felonies will have to keep waiting to complete their probation or parole or pay their fines to qualify to vote again.