That doesn't mean the Legislature won't do anything about it. Every 10 years, states redraw legislative districts in accordance with new census data to balance their populations. Democrats designed the map approved last week by the Legislative Apportionment Commission. Republicans howled because the districts are far more favorable to Democrats than the current arrangement, and the GOP quickly filed a federal lawsuit. They said the map illegally dilutes blacks' voting strength by cutting the number of predominantly black districts.
Majorities have the ability to control their own choices.
Democrats ridicule the Republicans' interest in protecting minority voting rights. The result is that most other districts retain white majorities where Republicans fare better. State law usually sets the filing deadline 54 days before the primary, or April 12 this year. When it was delayed one week to let redistricting be completed, county clerks who run the elections told legislators it couldn't be delayed further without moving the primary. The Ocean County clerk, M. Dean Haines, said Tuesday that isn't necessarily the case.