North Carolina court delays, then restores candidate filing

By BRYAN ANDERSON and GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The start of North Carolina candidate filing for U.S. House and legislative seats was blocked by an appeals court panel. But it was restored hours later. A three-judge panel of the intermediate level appeals court issued a ruling on Monday morning telling officials not to begin accepting candidates for those seats due to pending redistricting litigation that alleges the maps are illegal partisan gerrymanders. But lawyers for the GOP legislators who helped draw the maps asked the entire 15-judge Court of Appeals to get involved. A majority of those judges agreed late Monday. For now, it means filing will begin for the General Assembly and U.S. House seats on Tuesday morning.