Politics & Government

State lawmakers have overriden two of Governor Perdue's vetoes during a special session today.

Lawmakers are back in session to vote on proposed redistricting maps as they do every ten years. But they're also working to resurrect a number of bills the Governor red-stamped earlier this year.

Local election season officially gets underway today. Candidates are able to file for election in both Wake and Durham.

The most crowded race is expected to be for Mayor of Raleigh. Incumbent Charles Meeker has announced he will not seek re-election. That has opened up the field to a number of candidates.

A state legislative committee has approved congressional and state Senate redistricting maps, which are redrawn every ten years.

The Republican-led committee approved the maps earlier today. But committee leaders got into testy exchanges with Democrats, who accuse Republicans of crowding African-American voters into more districts to dilute their statewide vote. Democratic Senate Leader Martin Nesbitt tried to get Republican Senator Bob Rucho, chair of the Redistricting committee, to admit to what's known as "packing."

State lawmakers have officially introduced new proposed congressional and legislative maps as part of the redistricting process.

North Carolina's U.S. senators say they're on board with a new proposal to decrease the national debt. A bipartisan proposal released Tuesday from a group of six senators would attempt to cut the deficit by $4 trillion over the next decade. The plan from the so-called "Gang of Six" cuts spending from the defense budget, Medicare and Medicaid. It also increases some tax revenues. Democratic Senator Kay Hagan says she supports the proposal.