Minority representation in NC county

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP) - Pasquotank County leaders are trying to come up with a redistricting plan that will pass federal muster and increase representation for black residents.

The Daily Advance of Elizabeth City reports that while 40 percent of Pasquotank residents are black, there are currently six white and one black members of the county board of commissioners.

Board members say they want to find a redistricting formula that will address the imbalance, but it has to be a plan that the U.S. Justice Department will approve.

North Carolina is one of the states that must clear changes in voting laws with the agency.

The commissioners say the Justice Department will likely oppose a plan supported by the local NAACP chapter. They're planning to discuss the issue at a Feb. 27 retreat.

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Information from: The Daily Advance, http://www.dailyadvance.com/