Voting rights activists in Watauga County are seeking an injunction to block the use of the current county election maps in the 2026 election.
The request made in federal court is part of a lawsuit challenging a change in the way voters picked members of the Board of Commissioners and Education in 2024.
GOP lawmakers approved the redistricting, which led to Republican gains. The Board of Commissioners went from a Democratic majority to entirely Republican.
In 2024, voters also overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that included a mixture of district and at-large seats.
But the legislature passed another bill keeping the measure from taking effect until 2034.
Last month, a group of plaintiffs, including the Watauga County Voting Rights Task Force and Common Cause, sued over the changes.
On Monday, the group asked for a preliminary injunction to block the use of the current maps in next year’s election. They want to use the voter-approved districts instead.
The defendants in the case are predominantly Watuaga government officials involved in local elections.
