North Carolina Supreme Court strikes down GOP-drawn maps as unconstitutional

The North Carolina Supreme Court on Friday struck down Republican-drawn legislative and congressional maps as unconstitutional and asked for new maps to be submitted by Feb. 18.

The state's high court said in its ruling that the maps were unconstitutional "beyond a reasonable doubt under the free elections clause, the equal protection clause, the free speech clause, and the freedom of assembly clause of the North Carolina Constitution."

The maps, which the GOP-controlled legislature approved in November, would create two new Republican-leaning districts and take away two previously Democratic-leaning districts.