Joint Appendix
Public Court Documents
January 27, 1984
Cite this item
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Case Files, Thornburg v. Gingles Hardbacks, Briefs, and Trial Transcript. Joint Appendix, 1984. f9996150-d992-ee11-be37-6045bdeb8873. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/a6addda0-2f61-4713-9f8e-f6be8d4e5e2a/joint-appendix. Accessed December 04, 2025.
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No. 83-1968 .
IN THE
&uprrmt C!tnurt nf tlft 1lnitt~ &tatts
OcTOBER TERM, 1985
LAcY H. THORNBURG, et al.,
Appellants,
v.
RALPH GINGLES, et aZ.,
Appellees.
On Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Eastem District of North Carolina
JOINT APPENDIX
JULIUS CHAMBERS
Emc ScHNAPPER
c. LANI GUINIER
NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND
EDUCATIONAL FuND INc.
16th Floor, 99 Hudson Street
New York, New York 10013
(212) 219-1900
LESLIE J. WINNER
FERGUSON, WATT, WALLAS,
& ADKINS, P.A.
JERRIS LEONARD
KATHLEEN HEENAN MoGuAli
LEONARD & McGuAN, P.C. ·
900 17th Street, N.W.
Suite 1020
Washington, D.C. 20006
(202) 872-1095
Counsel for .Appellants
951 S. Independence Blvd.
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
( 704) 375-8461
Counsel for .Appellees, Ralph Gingles, et al.
JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT FILED JUNE 2, 1984
PROBABLE JURISDICTION NOTED APRIL 29, 1985
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF RELEVANT DocKET ENTRIES . JA-1
ORDER oF THREE-JuDGE CoURT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J A-3
MEMORANDUM OPINION OF THREE-JUDGE CouRT . . . . . J A-5
STIPULATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J A-59
ExcERPTS FRoM TRANSCRIPT oF TRIAL BEFORE THREE-
JUDGE CoURT . . .......... .. .. . ... .. .. ... .. .. . . JA-119
Witnesses:
Bernard N. Grofman . ... . .. .. .... . .. .... . JA-119
Direct Examination .. . ....... ... .. . . . .. JA-119
Cross Examination .. . .. ... . .. .. . . . . . ... JA-143
Redirect Examination .. . ....... .. . . . .. . JA-152
Harry Watson . ... . .. . . ... . .. .. .. . . . .. . . . JA-156
Direct Examination .. ..... . . . . . ...... . . JA-156
Paul Luebke ... ... . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . .. .. .. JA-160
Direct Examination ... ... .... .......... J A-160
Cross Examination .... . . ... . .. . ... .. . . . JA-168
Phyllis D. Lynch ... ... ........ ... .. ...... JA-174
Direct Examination . .. .. ... . . . .. . . ... .. JA-174
Cross Examination . . ... ... . . .. ... . ..... JA-183
Samuel L. Reid .... . . . ... .. .. . . . .... . .. .. JA-193
Direct Examination . .. .. . .. ... . . . ... . .. JA-193
Cross Ex.Lmination . .. . . .. .. ... . ... . .. . . J A-194
11
TABLE oF CoNTENTS continued
Page
Robert W. Spearman .... .... ............. JA-198
Direct Examination .. ...... . .... .. ..... JA-198
Cross Exaillination ...... . .... ... . ...... JA-199
Larry Little . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J A-201
Direct Examination ...... . ... ...... . . . . JA-201
Cross Examination ...... . ........ . .. ... JA-206
Willie Lovett ... .......... ............... JA-210
Direct Examination .............. . ..... JA-210
G, K. Butterfi(>ld, Jr .......... . .. . . .. . .... JA-215
Direct Examination .... ......... ... .... J A-215
Fred Belfield, Jr .......... .. .... .. ... .... JA-228
Direct Examination .... ... ......... .. . . J A-228
Joe P. Moody . ............... .. ........ .. JA-232
Direct Examination ................. . .. JA-233
Theodore Arrington .. ............. . .... . . JA-233
Direct Examination ............. .... ... JA-233
Frank W. Ballance, Jr ........ .... .... .. . . JA-237
Direct Examination .............. . ..... JA-237
Cross Examination ..................... J A-246
Leslie Bevacqua ... . .. .... ..... . .......... JA-248
Direct Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J A-248
Ill
TABLE oF CoNTENTS continued
Page
Marshall Arthur Rauch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J A-249
Direct Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J A-249
Cross Examination ..................... JA-252
Louise S. Brennan ....................... JA-255
Direct Examination .................... JA-255
Cross Examination .... . ................ JA-262
Malachi J. Green ....................... .. JA-266
Direct Examination .................... JA-266
Recross Examination ................... J A-269
Examination .................. . ....... J A-269
Arthur John Howard Clement, III .. .. .. .. JA-270
Direct Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J A-270
Alloen Adams ................... .. .... .. . JA-271
Direct Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J A-271
Thomas Brooks Hofeller ........ . ......... JA-275
Direct Examination ......... . . . ...... . . JA-275
Cross Examination ......... . ....... . ... J A-277
Date
JA-1
CHRONOLOGICAL UST OF
RELEVANT DOCKET ENTRIES
Documents
9.16.81 Complaint
10.16.81 Designation of Three-Judge Court
11.13.81 Plaintiff's Motion to Supplement Complaint
11.19.81 Order Allowing Supplement of Complaint
1.29.82 Defendant's Motion to Consolidate with
No. 81-1066-Civ.5
2.18.82 Order Consolidating No. 81-803-Civ.5 with
No. 81-1066-Civ.5
3.17.82 Motion to Certify the Class
Motion to Further Amend the Complaint
3.25.82 Order Allowing Second Supplement to Complaint
3.29.82 Answer To Second Supplemental Complaint
4.02.82 Stipulation of Class Action
4.22.82 Motion for Voluntary Dismissal of Claim as to
N.C. Districts for the United States Congress
4.23.82 Application for Hearing on Preliminary
Injunction
4.27.82 Order Granting Motion for Partial Voluntary
Dismissal
4.30.82 Hearing on Temporary Restraining Order
5.03.82 Motion for Temporary Restraining Order
Denied
5.12.82 Motion to Consolidate 82-545-CIV-5 with
81-803-CIV-5 and 81-1066-CIV-5
7.26.82 Order Consolidating 82-545-CIV-5 with
81-803-CIV-5 and 81-1055-CIV-5
Date
JA-2
DocKET ENTRIES (Cont.)
Documents
8.18.82 Motion to File Third Supplement on Amended
Complaint
9.03.82 Answer to Third Amended Complaint
9.29.82 Order Allowing Third Amended Complaint
12.22.82 Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment
1.18.83 Defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary
Judgment
7.14.83 Pre-Trial Order
Pre-Trial Conference
7.21.83 Gingles Plaintiffs' Pre-Trial Brief
Pugh Plaintiffs' Pre-Trial Brief
Defendants' Pre-Trial Brief
7.21.83 Motion by Plaintiffs in 81-1066-CIV-5 To
Intervene In Trial of 81-803-CIV-5
7.22.83 Order Withdrawing Previous Order which con
solidated 81-1066-CIV-5 with 81-803-CIV-5;
Trial of 81-1066-CIV-5 continued without prej
udice of plaintiffs to intervene in trial of
81-803-CIV-5.
7.22.83 Motion to Intervene Granted
7.25.83 Trial Before Three-Judge Court (8 Days)
9.22.83 Order entering Summary Judgment in favor of
Defendants In 82-545-CIV-5
10.07.83 Plaintiff's Proposed Findings of Fact and
Conclusions of Law
10.07.83 Defendants' Proposed Findings of Fact and
Conclusions of Law
1.27.84 Memorandum Opinion and Order
2.03.84 Notice of Appeal to the Supreme Court
JA-3
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
RALEIGH DIVISION
No. 81-803-CIV-5
RALPH GINGLES, et al.
vs.
RUFUS L. EDMISTEN, et al.
Plaintiffs,
Defendants.
FILED
JAN 27 1984
J. RICH LEONARD, CLERK
U.S. DISTRICT COURT
E. DIST. NO. CAR.
ORDER
For the reasons set forth in the Memorandum Opinion of the
court filed this day;
It is ADJUDGED and ORDERED that:
1. Chapters 1 and 2 of the North Carolina Session Laws of
the Second Extra Session of 1982 (1982 redistricting plan) are
declared to violate section 2 of the Voting rights Act of 1965,
amended June 29, 1982, 42 U.S. C. § 1973, by the creation of
the following legislative districts: Senate Districts Nos. 2 and
22, and House of Representatives Districts Nos. 8, 21, 23, 36,
and 39.
2. Pending further orders of this court, the defendants,
their agents and employees, are enjoined from conducting any
primary or general elections to elect members of the State
Senate or State House of Representatives to represent, inter
JA-4
· alia, registered black voters resident in any of the areas now
included within the legislative districts identified in paragraph
1. of this Order, whether pursuant to the 1982 redistricting
plan, or any revised or new plan.
This Order does not purport to enjoin the conduct of any
other primary or general elections that the State of North
Carolina may see fit to conduct to elect members of the Senate
or House of Representatives under the 1982 redistricting plan,
or to elect candidates for any other offices than those of the
State Senate and House of Representatives. See N.C.G.S.
i20-2.1 (1983) Cum. Supp.).
3. Jurisdiction of this court is retained to entertain the
submission of a revised legislative districting plan by the de
fendants, or to enter a further remedial decree, in accordance
with the Memorandum Opinion filed today in this action.
4. The award of costs and attorneys fees as prayed by
plaintiffs is deferred pending entry of a final judgment, or such
earlier date as may be · shown required in the interests of
justice.
J. Dickson Phillips, Jr.
United States Circuit Judge
W. Earl Britt, Jr.
Chief United States District Judge
Franklin T. Dupree, Jr.
Senior United States District Judge
I certify the foregoing to be a true and correct copy of the
Order.
J. Rich Leonard, Clerk
United States District Court
Eastern District of North Carolina
By Cherlyn Wells
Deputy Clerk
JA-5
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
RALEIGH DIVISION
No. 81-803-CIV-5
RALPH GINGLES, et al.
vs.
RUFUS 1. EDMISTEN, et al.
Plain tiffs,
Defendants.
FILED
JAN 27 1984
J. RICH LEONARD, CLERK
U.S. DISTRICT COURT
E. DIST. NO. CAR.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Before PHILLIPS, Circuit Judge, BRITT, Chief District Judge,
and DUPREE, Senior District Judge.
PHILLIPS Circuit Judge:
In this action Ralph Gingles and others, individually and as
representatives of a class composed of all the black citizens of
North Carolina who are registered to vote , challenge on con
stitutional and statutory grounds the redistricting1 plan
1 For consistency and convenience we use the term "redistricting"
throughout as a more technically, as well as descriptively, accurate one than
the terms "apportionment" or "reapportionment" sometimes used by the
parties herein to refer to the specific legislative action under challenge here.
See Cantens v. Lcmnn, 543 F . Supp. 68, 72 n.3 (D. Col. 1982).
.TA-6
enacted in final form in 1982 by the General Assembly of North
Carolina for the election of members of the Senate and House of
Representatives of that state's bicameral legislature. Jurisdic
tion of this three-judge district court is based on 28 U.S. C.
§§ 1331, 1343, and 2284 (three judge court) and on 42 U.S.C.
§ 1973c.
The gravamen of plaintiffs' claim is that the plan makes use
of multi-member districts with substantial white voting ma
jorities in some areas of the state in which there are sufficient
concentrations of black voters to form majority black single
member districts, and that in another area of the state the plan
fractures into separate voting minorities a comparable con
centration of black voters, all in a manner that violates rights of
the plaintiffs secured by section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of
1965, amended June 29, 1982, 42 U.S.C. § 1973 (Section 2, or
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act), 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981 and
1983, and the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments
to the United States Constitution. 2 In particular, the claim is
that the General Assembly's plan impermissibly dilutes the
voting strength of the state's registered black voters by sub
merging black voting minorities in multi-member House Dis
trict No. 36 (8 members - Mecklenburg County), multi
member House District No. 39 (5 members - part of Forsyth
County), multi-member House District No. 23 (3 members -
Durham County), multi-member House District No. 21 (6
members- Wake County), multi-member House District No. 8
(4 members - Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash Counties), and
multi-member Senate District No. 22 (4 members- Mecklen
burg and Cabarrus Counties), and by fracturing between more
than one senate district in the northeastern section of the state
a concentration of black voters sufficient in numbers and con-
2 The original complaint also included challenges to population deviations
in the redistricting plan allegedly violative of one-person-one-vote princi
ples, and to congressional redistricting plans being contemporaneously
enacted by the state's General Assembly. Both of these challenges were
dropped by amended or supplemental pleadings responsive to the evolving
course of legislative action , leaving only the state legislature "vote dilution"
claims for resolution.
:JA-7
tiguity to constitute a voting majority in at least one single
member district, with the consequence, as intended, that in
none of the senate districts into which the concentration is
fractured (most notably, Senate District 2 with the largest
mass of the concentration) is there an effective voting majority
of black citizens.
We conclude on the basis of our factual findings that the
redistricting plan violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in
all the respects challenged, and that plaintiffs are therefore
entitled to appropriate relief, including an order enjoining
defendants from conducting elections under the extant plan.
Because we uphold plaintiffs' claim for relief under Section 2 of
the Voting Rights Act, we do not address their other statutory
and constitutional claims seeking the same relief.
I
General Background and Procedural History
In July of1981, responding to its legal obligation to make any
redistrictings compelled by the 1980 decennial census, the
North Carolina General Assembly enacted a legislative
redistricting plan for the state's House of Representatives and
Senate. This original 1981 plan used a combination of multi
member and single-member districts across the state, with
multi-member districts predominating; had no district in which
blacks constituted a registered voter majority and only one
with a black population majority; and had a range of maximum
population deviations from the equal protection ideal of more
than 20%. Each of the districts was composed of one or more
whole counties, a result then mandated by state constitutional
provisions adopted in 1968 by amendments that prohibited the
division of counties in legislative districting. At the time this
original redistricting plan was enacted (and at all critical times
in this litigation) forty of North Carolina's one hundred coun
ties were covered by section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
42 U.S.C. § 1973c (Section 5, or Section 5 of the Voting Rights
Act. ).
JA-8
Plaintiffs filed this action on September 16, 1981, challeng
ing that original redistricting plan for, inte1· alia, its population
deviations, its submergence of black voter concentrations in
some of the multi-member districts, and the failure of the state
to obtain preclearance, pursuant to Section 5, of the 1968
constitutional amendments prohibiting county division in
legislative districting.
After this action had been filed, the state submitted the 1968
no-division-of-counties constitutional provisions for original
Seeton 5 preclearance by the Attorney General of the United
States. While action on that submission was pending, the
General Assembly covened again in special session and in
October 1981 repealed the original districting plan for the state
House of Representatives and enacted another. This new plan
reduced the range of maximum population deviations to ap
proximately 16%, retained a preponderance of multi-member
districts across the state, and again divided no counties. No
revision of the extant Senate districting plan was made.
In November 1981, the Attorney General interposed formal
objection, under Section 5, to the no-division-of-counties con
stitutional provisions so far as they affected covered counties.
Objection was based on the Attorney General's expressed view
that the use of whole counties in legislative districting required
the use oflarge multi-member districts and that this "necessar
ily submerges cognizable minority population concentrations
into larger white electorates." Following this objection to the
constitutional provisions, the Attorney General further ob
jected, on December 7, 1981, and January 20, 1982, to the then
extant redistricting plans for both the Senate and House as
they affected covered counties.
In February 1982, the General Assembly again convened in
extra session and on February 11, 1982, enacted for both the
Senate and House revised redistricting plans which divided
some counties both in areas covered and areas not covered by
Section 5. Again, on April 19, 1982, the Attorney General
interposed objections to the revised districting plans for both
JA-9
the Senate and House. The letter interposing objection ac
knowledged some improvement of black voters' situation by
reason of county division in Section 5 covered areas, but found
the improvements insufficient to permit preclearance. The
General Assembly once more reconvened in a second extra
session on April 26, 1982, and on April 27, 1982, enacted a
further revised plan which again divided counties both in areas
covered and areas not covered by Section 5. That plan, embo
died in chapters 1 and 2 of the North Carolina Session Laws of
the Second Extra Session of 1982, received Section 5 preclear
ance on April30, 1982. As precleared under Section 5, the plan
constitutes the extant legislative districting law of the state,
and is the subject of plaintiffs' ultimate challenge by amended
and supplemented complaint in this action. 3
During the course of the legislative proceedings above
summarized, this action proceeded through its pre-trial
stages. 4 Amended and supplemental pleadings accommodating
to successive revisions of the originally challenged redistrict
ing plan were allowed. Extensive discovery and motion prac
tice was had; extensive stipulations of fact were made and
embodied in pretrial orders. The presently composed three-
3 The final plan's division of counties in areas of the state not covered by
Section 5 was challenged by voters in one such county on the basis that the
division violated the state's 1968 constitutional prohibition. The claim was
that in non-covered counties of the state the constitutional prohibition re
mained in force, notwithstanding its suspension in covered counties by virtue
of the Attorney General's objection. In Cavanagh v. Brock, No. 82-545-CIV-
5 (E.D.N.C. Sept. 22, 1983), which at one time was consolidated with the
instant action, this court rejected that challenge, holding that as a matter of
state law the constitutional provisions were not severable, so that their
effective partial suspension under federal law resulted in their complete
suspension throughout the state.
4 At one stage in these proceedings another action challenging the
redistricting plan for impermissible dilution of the voting strength of black
voters was consolidated with the instant action. In Pugh v. Hunt , No.
81-1066-CIV-5, also decided this day, we earlier entered an order of the
cleconsolidation and permitted the black plaintiffs in that action to intervene
as individual and representative plaintiffs in the instant action.
JA-10
judge court was designated by Chief Judge Harrison L. Winter
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on
October 16, 1981. The action was designated a plaintiff class
action by stipulation of the parties on April2 , 1982. Following
enactment and Section 5 preclearance of the April 27, 1982,
Senate and House districting plans, the pleadings were closed,
with issue joined for trial on plaintiffs' challenge, by amended
and supplemented complaint, to that finally adopted plan.
Following a final pre-trial conference on July 14, 1983, trial
to the three-judge court was held from July 25, 1983, through
August 3, 1983. Extensive oral and documentary evidence was
received. Decision was deferred pending the submission by
both parties of proposed findings offact and conclusions oflaw,
briefing and oral argument. Concluding oral arguments of
counsel were heard by the court on October 14, 1983, and a
limited submission of supplemental documentary evidence by
both parties was permitted on December 5, 1983.
Having considered the evidence, the memoranda oflaw sub
mitted by the parties, the stipulations of fact , and the oral
arguments of counsel, the court, pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P.
52(a), enters the following findings of fact and conclusions of
law, prefaced with a discussion of amended Section 2 of the
Voting Rights Act and of certain special problems concerning
the proper interpretation and application of that section to the
evidence in this case.
II
Amended Section 2 Of The Voting Rights Act
From the outset of this action plaintiffs have based their
claim of racial vote dilution not only on the fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments, but on Section 2 of the Voting Rights
Act. As interpreted by the Supreme Court at the time this
action was commenced, former Section 2, 5 secured no further
5 Former Section 2, enacted pursuant to Congress's constitutional enforce
ment powers , provided simply:
No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice,
or procedure shall be imposed or applied by any State or political
(footnote continued on next page)
JA-11
voting rights than were directly secured by those con
stitutional provisions. To the extent "vote dilution" claims lay
under either of the constitutional provisions or Section 2, 6 the
requirements for proving such a claim were the same: there
must have been proven both a discriminatorily "dilutive" effect
traceable in some measure to a challenged electoral mechanism
and, behind that effect, a specific intent on the part of responsi
ble state officials that the mechanism should have had the
effect. City of Mobile v. Bolden, 446 U.S. 55 (1980).
While this action was pending for trial and after the
ultimately challenged redistricting plan had been enacted and
given Section 5 preclearance, Congress amended Section 27 in
drastic and, for this litigation, critically important respects. In
rough summary, the amended version liberalized the statutory
vote dilution claim in two fundamental ways. It removed any
necessity that discriminatory intent be proven, leaving only
the necessity to show dilutive effect traceable to a challenged
electoral mechamism; and it made explicit that the dilutive
effect might be found in the "totality of the circumstances"
within which the challenged mechanism operated and not alone
in direct operation of the mechanism.
(footnote continued from previous page)
subdivision to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United
States to vote on account of race or color, or in contravention of the
guarantees set forth in Section 1973b(f)(2) of this title.
42 U.S.C. § 1973 (1976).
6 It is not now perfectly clear-but neither is it of direct consequence
here-whether a majority of the Supreme Court considers that a racial vote
dilution claim, as well as a direct vote denial claim, lies under the fifteenth
amendment and, in consequence, lay under former Section 2. See Rogers v.
Lodge, 458 U.S. 613, 619 n.16 (1982). It is well settled, however, that such
claims lie under the fourteenth amendment, though only upon proof of intent
as well as effect. See City of Mobile v. Bolden, 446 U.S. 55 (1980).
7 H.R. 3112, amending Section 2 and extending the Voting Rights Act of
1965, was passed by the House on October 15, 1981. On June 18, 1982, the
Senate adopted a different version, S. 1992, reported out of its Committee on
the Judiciary. The House unanimously adopted the Senate bill on June 23,
1982, and it was signed into law by the President on June 29, 1982. There was
no intervening conference committee action.
.JA-12
Following Section 2's amendment, plaintiffs amended their
complaint in this action to invoke directly the much more
favorable provisions of the amended statute. All further
proceedings in the case have been conducted on our perception
that the vote dilution claim would succeed or fail under
amended Section 2 as now the obviously most favorable basis of
claim. 8
Because of the amended statute's profound reworking of
applicable law and because of the absence of any authoritative
Supreme Court decisions interpreting it, 9 we preface our find
ings and conclusions with a summary discusson of the amended
statute and of our understanding of its proper application to the
evidence in this case. Because we find it dispositive of the vote
dilution claim, we may properly rest decision on the amended
statute alone and thereby avoid addressing the still subsisting
constitutional claims seeking the same relief. See Ashwander v.
Tennessee Valley Authority, 297 U.S. 288, 347 (1936) (Bran
deis, J., concurring).
8 Of course, the direct claims under the fourteenth (and possibly the
fifteenth) amendment remain, and could be established under Bolden by
proof of a dilutive effect intentionally inflicted. But no authoritative decision
has suggested that proof alone of an unrealized discriminatory intent to
dilute would suffice. A dilutive effect remains an essential element of con
stitutional as well as Section 2 claims. See Hartman, Racial Vote Dilution
and Separation of Powers: A n Explomton of the Conflict Between the
Judicial "Intent" and the Legislative "Results" Standards, 50 Geo. W.L.
Rev. 689, 737-38 n.318 (1982). Neither is there any suggestion that the
remedy for an unconstitutional intentional dilution should be any more
favorable than the remedy for a Section 2 "results" violation. Whether the
evidence of discriminatory intent might nevertheless have limited relevance
in establishing a Section 2 "result" claim is another matter.
9 There have , however, been a few lower federal court decisions interpret
ing and applying amended Section 2 to state and local electoral plans. All
generally support the interpretation we give the statute in the ensuing
discussion. See Majorv. Treen, Civil Action No. 82-1192 Section C (E. D. La.
Sept. 23, 1983) (three-judge court); Rybicki v. State Board of Elections, No.
81-C-6030 (N.D. Ill. Jaan. 20, 1983) (three-judge court); Thomasville Branch
of NAACP v. Thomas County, Civil Action No. 75-34-THOM (M.D. Ga.Jan.
26, 1983); Jones v. City of Lubbock, Civil Action No. CA-5-76-34 (N.D. Tex.
Jan. 20, 1983); Taylor v. Haywood County, 544 F. Supp. 1122 (W.D. Tenn.
1982) (on grant of preliminary injunction).
JA-13
Section 2, as amended, reads as follows:
(a) No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or
standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or ap
plied by any State or political subdivision in a manner
which results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any
citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or
color, or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in
Section 4(±)(2), as provided in subsection (b).
(b) A violation of subsection(a) is established if, based on
the totality of circumstances, it is shown that the political
processes leading to nomination or election in the State or
political subdivision are not equally open to participation
by members of a class of citizens protected by subsection
(a) in that its members have less opportunity than other
members of the electorate to participate in the political
process and to elect representatives of their choice. The
extent to which members of a protected class have been
elected to office in the State or political subdivision is one
circumstance which may be considered: Provided, That
nothing in this section establishes a right to have members
of a protected class elected in numbers equal to their
proportion in the population.
Without attempting here a detailed analysis of the legisla
tive history leading to enactment of amended Section 2, we
deduce from that history and from the judicial sources upon
which Congress expressly relied in formulating the statute's
text the following salient points which have guided our applica
tion of the statute of the facts we have found.
First. The fundamental purpose of the amendment to Sec
tion 2 was to remove intent as a necessary element of racial
vote dilution claims brought under the statute. 10
10 Senator Dole, sponsor of the compromise Senate version ultimately
enacted as Section 2, stated that one of his "key objectives" in offering it was
to
make it unequivocally clear that plaintiffs may base a violation of Sec
tion 2 on a showing of discriminatory "results" , in which case proof of
discriminatory intent or purpose would be neither required , nor rele
vant. I was convinced of the inappropriateness of an ''intent standard"
(footnote continued on next page)
JA-14
This was accomplished by codifying in the amended statute
the racial vote dilution principles applied by the Supreme
Court in its pre-Bolden decision in White v. RegesteT, 412 U.S.
755 (1973). That decision, as assumed by the Congress/1 re
quired no more to establish the illegality of a state's ~lectoral
mechanism than proof that its "result," irrespective of intent,
when assessed in "the totality of circumstances" was "to cancel
out or minimize the voting strength of racial groups," I d. at 765
- in that case by submerging racial minority voter concentra
tions in state multi-member legislative districts. The White v.
RegesteT racial vote dilution principles, as assumed by the
Congress, were made explicit in new subsection (b) of Section 2
in the provision that such a "result," hence a violation of se
cured voting rights, could be established by proof "based on
the totality of circumstances . . . that the political processes
leading to nomination or election . . . are not equally open to
participation" by members of protected minorities. Cf. id. at
766.
Second. In determining whether, "based on the totality of
circumstances," a state's electoral mechanism does so "result"
in racial vote dilution, the Congress intended that courts
should look to the interaction of the challenged mechanism
with those historical, social and political factors generally sug
gested as probative of dilution in White v. RegesteT and sub-
(footnote continued from previous page)
as the sole means of establishing a voting rights claim, as were the
majority of my colleagues on the Committee.
S. Rep. No. 417, 97th Cong., 2d Sess. 193 (1982) (additional views of Sen.
Dole) (hereinafter S. Rep. No. 97-417).
11 Congressional opponents of amended Section 2 contended in debate that
White v. Regester did not actually apply a "results only" test, but that,
properly interpreted, it required , and by implication found , intent also
proven. The right or wrong of that debate is essentially beside the point for
our purposes. We seek only Congressional intent, which clearly was to adopt
a "results only" standard by codifying a decision unmistakably assumed
whether or not erroneously- to have embodied that standard. See Hartman,
Racial Vote Dilution, supra note 8, at 725-26 & n.236.
JA-15
sequently elaborated by the former Fifth Circuit in Zimmer v.
McKeithen, 485 F.2d 1297 (5th Cir. 1973) (en bane) , affd on
other grounds sub nom. East Carroll Parish School Board v.
Marshall, 424 U.S. 636 (1976) (per curiam). These typically
include, per the Senate Report accompanying the compromise
version enacted as amended Section 2:
1. the extent of any history of official discrimination in
the state or political subdivision that touched the right of
the members of the minority group to register, to vote, or
otherwise to participate in the democratic process;
2. the extent to which voting in the elections of the
state or political subdivision is racially polarized;
3. the extent to which the state or political subdivision
has used unusually large election districts, majority vote
requirements, anti-single shot provisions, or other voting
practices or procedures that may enhance the opportunity
for discrimination against the minority group;
4. if there is a candidate slating process, whether the
members of the mimority group have been denied access
to that process;
5. the extent to which members of the minority group
in the state or political subdivision bear the effects of
discrimination in such areas as education, employment
and health, which hinder their ability to participate effec
tively in the political process;
6. whether political campaigns have been character
ized by overt or subtle racial appeals;
7. the extent to which members of the minority group
have been elected to public office in the jurisdiction.
Additional factors that in some cases have had proba
tive value as part of plaintiffs' evidence to establish a
violation are:
whether there is a significant lack of responsiveness
on the rart of elected officials to the particularized
needs o the members of the minority gToup.
whether the policy underlying the state or political
subdivision's use of such voting qualification, prere
quisite to voting, or standard, practice or procedure is
tenuous.
JA-16
While these enumerated factors will often be the more
relevant ones, in some cases other factors will be indica
tive of the alleged dilution.
S. Rep. No. 97-417, supra note 10, at28-29 (footnotes omitted).
Third. Congress also intended that amended Section 2
should be interpreted and applied in conformity with the
general body of pre-Bolden racial vote dilution jurisprudence
that applied the White v. R egester test for the existence of a
dilutive "result. "12
Critical in that body of jurisprudence are the following prin
ciples that we consider embodied in the statute.
The essence of racial vote dilution in the White v. R egester
sense is this: that primarily because of the interaction of sub
stantial and persistent racial polarization in voting patterns
(racial bloc voting) with a challenged electoral mechanism, a
racial minority with distinctive group interests that are cap
able of aid or amelioration by government is effectively denied
the political power to further those interests that numbers
alone would presumptively, see United Jewish Organization v.
Carey, 430 U.S. 144, 166 n.24 (1977), give it in a voting con
stituency not racially polarized in its voting behavior. See
Nevett v. Sides , 571 F .2d 209, 223 & n.16 (5th Cir. 1978). Vote
dilution in this sense can exist notwithstanding the relative
absence of structural barriers to exercise of the electoral fran
chise. It can be enhanced by other factors - cultural, political,
social, economic - in which the racial minority is relatively
disadvantaged and which further operate to diminish practical
political effectiveness. Zimmer v . McKeithen, supra. But the
demonstrable unwillingness of substantial numbers of the ra-
12 SeeS. Rep. No. 97-417, supm note 10, at 32 ("[T]he legislative intent [is]
to incorporate [White v. Regester} and extensive case law ... which de
veloped around it."). See also id. at 19-23 (Bolden characterized as "a marked
departure from [the] prior law" of vote dilution as applied in Wh ite v.
Regester, Zimmer v. McKeithen, and a number of other cited federal deci
sions following White v .. Regester).
JA-17
cial majority to vote for any minority race candidate or any
candidate identified with minority race interests is the linchpin
of vote dilution by districting. N evett v. Sides , supra; see also
Rogers v . Lodge, 458 U.S. 613, 623 (1981) (emphasizing cen
trality of bloc voting as evidence of purposeful discrimination).
The mere fact that blacks constitute a voting or population
minority in a multi-member district does not alone establish
that vote dilution has resulted from the districting plan. See
Z immer, 485 F.2d at 1304 ("axiomatic" that at-large and multi
member districts are not per se unconstitutional). Nor does the
fact that blacks have not been elected under a challenged
districting plan in numbers proportional to their percentage of
the population. I d. at 1305. 13
On the other hand, proof that blacks constitute a population
majority in an electoral district does not per se establish that no
vote dilution results from the districting plan, at least where
the blacks are a registered voter minority. Id. at 1303. Nor
does proof that in a challenged district blacks have recently
been elected to office. Id . at 1307.
Vote dilution in the White v. Regester sense may result from
the fracturing into several single-member districts as well as
from the submergence in one multi-member district of black
voter concentrations sufficient, if not "fractured" or "sub
merged," to constitute an effective single-member district vot
ing majority. See Nevett v. Sides, 571 F.2d 209, 219 (5th Cir.
1978).
Fourth. Amended Section 2 embodies a congressional pur
pose to remove all vestiges of minority race vote dilution
perpetuated on or after the amendment's effective date by
state or local electoral mechanisms. 14 To accomplish this, Con-
1:3 This we consider to be the limit of the intended meaning of the disclaimer
in amended Section 2 that "nothing in this section establishes a right to have
members of a protected class elected in numbers equal to their proportion in
the population." 42 U.S.C. § 1973.
l.J Both the Senate and House Committee Reports assert a purpose to
forestall further purposeful discrimination that might evade remedy under
(footnote continued on next page)
JA-18
gress has exercised its enforcement powers under section 5 of
the fourteenth and section 2 of the fifteenth amendments15 to
create a new judicial remedy by private action that is broader
in scope than were existing private rights of action for con
stitutional violations of minority race voting rights. Specifical
ly, this remedy is designed to provide a means for bringing
states and local governments into compliance with con
stitutional guarantees of equal voting rights for racial minori
ties without the necessity to prove an intentional violation of
those rights. 16
Fifth. In enacting amended Section 2, Congress made a
deliberate political judgment that the time had come to apply
(footnote continued from previous page)
the stringent intent-plus-effects test of Bolden and to eradicate existing or
new mechanisms that perpetuate the effects of past discrimination. See S.
Rep. 97-417, supra note 10, at40; H.R. Rep. No. 227, 97th Cong., 1st Sess.
31 (1981) (hereinafter H.R. Rep. No. 97-227).
We accept-and it is not challenged in this action by the state defendants
that Congress intended the amendment to apply to litigation pending upon
its effective date. See Major v. Treen, supra, slip op. at 40-41 n.20.
15 Both the Senate and House Committee Reports express an intention
that amended Section 2 be regarded as remedial rather than merely redefini
tional of existing constitutional voting rights. See S. Rep. No. 97-417, supra
note 10, at 39-43; H.R. Rep. No. 97-227, supm note 14, at 31.
16 Congressional proponents of amended Section 2 were at pains in debate
and committee reports to disclaim any intention or power by Congress to
overrule the Supreme Court's constitutional interpretation in Bolden only
that the relevant constitutional provisions prohibited intentional racial vote
dilution, and to assert instead a power comparable to that exercised in the
enactment of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to provide a judicial remedy
for enforcement of the state's affirmative obligations to come into com
pliance. See , e.g., S. Rep. 97-417, supra note 10, at 41 ("Congress cannot
alter the judicial interpretations in Bolden ... . [T]he proposal is a proper
statutory exercise of Congress' enforcement power .. . . ").
No challenge is made in this action to the constitutionality of Section 2 as a
valid exercise of Congress's enforcement powers under the fourteenth (and
possibly fifteenth) amendment, and we assume constitutionality on that
basis. See Major v. Treen, supra, slip op. 44-61 (upholding constitutionality
against direct attack).
JA-19
the statute's remedial measures to present conditions of racial
vote dilution that might be established in particular litigation;
that national policy respecting minority voting rights could no
longer await the securing of those rights by normal political
processes, or by voluntary action of state and local govern
ments, or by judicial remedies limited to proof of intentional
racial discrimination. See, e.g., S. Rep. 97-417, supra note 10,
at 193 (additional view of Senator Dole) (asserting purpose to
eradicate "racial discrimination which ... still exists in the
American electoral process").
In making that political judgment, Congress necessarily
took into account and rejected as unfounded, or assumed as
outweighed, several risks to fundamental political values that
opponents of the amendment urged in committee deliberations
and floor debate. Among these were the risk that the judicial
remedy might actually be at odds with the judgment of signifi
cant elements in the racial minority; 17 the risk that creating
"safe" black-majority single-member districts would perpetu
ate racial ghettos and racial polarization in voting behavior; 18
the risk that reliance upon the judicial remedy would supplant
the normal, more healthy processes of acquiring political pow
er by registration, voting and coalition building;19 and the
17 See Voting R ights Act: Hearings BefoTe the Subc01nm. on the Constitu
tion of the Senate Comm. on the Judiciary, 97th Cong., 2d Sess. 542-46 (Feb.
1, 1982) (hereafter Senate Hemings) (prepared statement of Professor Mc
Manus, pointing to disagreements within black community leadership over
relative virtues of local districting plans).
18 See Subcommittee on the Constitution of the Senate Committee on the
Jndiciw71, 97th Cong., 2d Sess., Voting Rights Act, Report on S. 1992, at
42-43 (Comm. Print 1982) (hereafter Subcommittee R epoTt), Teprinted in 8.
Rep. No. 97-417, supm note 10, 107, 149 (asserting "detrimental con
sequence of establishing racial polarity in voting where none existed, or was
merely episodic, and of establishing race as an accepted factor in the decision
making of elected officials"); Subcommittee R eport, snpra, at 45, rep?inted
inS. Rep. No. 97-417, supm note 10, at 150 (asserting that amended Section
2 would aggravate segregated housing patterns by encouraging blacks to
remain in safe black legislative districts).
19 See Subcommittee RepoTt, supm note 18, at 43-44, rep1·inted inS. Rep.
No. 97-417, supra note 10, at 149-60.
JA-20
fundamental risk that the recognition of "group voting rights"
and the imposing of affirmative obligation upon government to
secure those rights by race-conscious electoral mechanisms
was alien to the American political tradition. 20
For courts applying Section 2, the significance of Congress's
general rejection or assumption of these risks as a matter of
political judgment is that they are not among the circum
stances to be considered in determining whether a challenged
electoral mechanism presently "results" in racial vote dilution,
either as a new or perpetuated condition. If it does , the remedy
follows, all risks to these values having been assessed and
accepted by Congress. It is therefore irrelevant for courts
applying amended Section 2 to speculate or to attempt to make
findings as to whether a presently existing condition of racial
vote dilution is likely in due course to be removed by normal
political processes, or by affirmative acts of the affected
government, or that some elements of the racial minority
prefer to rely upon those processes rather than having the
judicial remedy invoked.
III
Findings of Fact
A.
The Challenged Districts
The redistricting plans for the North Carolina Senate and
House of Representatives enacted by the General Assembly of
North Carolina in April of 1982 included six multi-member
districts and one single-member district that are the subjects
of the racial vote dilution challenge in this action.
20 See Senate Hearings, supra, note 17, at 1351-54 (Feb. 12, 1982) (pre
pared statement of Professor Blumstein); id. at 509-10 (Jan. 28, 1982) (pre
pared statement of Professor Erler), reprinted in S. Rep. No. 97-417, supra
note 10, at 147; id. at 231 (Jan. 27, 1982) (testimony of Professor Berns),
rep1"inted inS. Rep. No. 97-417, supra note 10, at 147.
JA-21
The multi-member districts, each of which continued pre
existing districts and apportionments, are as follows, with
their compositions, and their apportionments of members and
the percentage of their total populations and of their registered
voters that are black:
District
Senate No. 22 (Mecklenburg
and Cabarrus Counties (4
members)
House No. 36 (Mecklenburg
County) (8 members)
House No. 39 (Part of For
syth County) (5 members)
House No. 23 (Durham
County) (3 members)
House No. 21 (Wake County)
(6 members)
House No. 8 (Wilson, Nash
and Edgecombe Counties)
(4 members)
%of Population
that is Black
24.3
26.5
25.1
36.3
21.8
39.5
%of Registered Voters
that is Black
(as of 1014182)
16.8
18.0
20.8
28.6
15.1
29.5
As these districts are constituted, black citizens make up
distinct population and registered-voter minorities in each.
Of these districts, only House District No. 8 is in an area of
the state covered by § 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
At the time of the creation of these multi-member districts,
there were concentrations of black citizens within the bound
aries of each that were sufficient in numbers and contiguity to
constitute effective voting majorities in single-member dis
tricts lying wholly within the boundaries of the multi-member
districts, which single-member districts would satisfy all con
stitutional requirements of population and geographical con
figuration. For example, concentrations of black citizens em-
JA-22
braced within the following single-member districts, as de
picted on exhibits before the court, would meet those criteria:
Multi-Member District
Single-Member District:
location and racial
composition E xhibit
Senate No. 22 Part of Mecklenburg County; Pl. Ex. 9
(Mecklenburg/Cabarrus 70.0% Black
Counties)
House No. 36 (1) Part of Mecklenburg County; Pl. Ex. 4
(Mecklenburg County) 66.1% Black
(2) Part of Mecklenburg County; Pl. Ex. 4
71.2% Black
House No. 39 Part of Forsyth County; 70.0% Pl. E x. 5
(Part of Forsyth County) Black
House No. 23 Part of Durham County; 70.9% Pl. Ex. 6
(Durham County) Black substitute
House No. 21 Part of Wake County; 67.0% Pl. Ex. 7
(Wake County) Black
House No. 8 Parts of Wilson, Edgecombe and Pl. Ex. 8
(Wilson, Edgecombe, Nash Nash Counties; 62.7% Black
Counties)
The single-member district is Senate District No. 2 in the
rural northeastern section of the state. It was formed by ex
tensive realignment of existing districts to encompass an area
which formerly supplied components of two multi-member
Senate districts (No.1 of2 members; No. 6 of2 members). It
consists of the whole of Northampton, Hertford , Gates, Ber
tie, and Chowan Counties, and parts of Washington, Martin,
Halifax and Edgecombe Counties. Black citizens made up
55.1% of the total population of the district, and 46.2% of the
population that is registered to vote. This does not constitute
them an effective voting majority in this district. 21
21 We need not attempt at this point to define the exact population level at
which blacks would constitute an effective (non-diluted) voting majority ,
either generally or in this area. Defendant's expert witness testified that a
general "rule of thumb" for insuring an effective voting majority is 65%. This
(footnote continued on next page)
JA-23
This district is in an area of the state covered by § 5 of the
Voting Rights Act.
At the time of creation of this single-member district, there
was a concentration of black citizens within the boundaries of
this district and those of adjoining Senate District No. 6 that
was sufficient in numbers and in contiguity to constititute an
effective voting majority in a single-member district, which
single-member district would satisfy all constitutional require
ments of population and geographical configuration. For ex
ample, a concentration of black voters embraced within a dis
trict depicted on Plaintiffs Exhibit 10(a) could minimally meet
these criteria, though a still larger concentration might prove
necessary to make the majority a truly effective one, depend
ing upon experience in the new district alignments. In such a
district, black citizens would constitute 60.7% of the total
population and 51.02% of the registered voters (as contrasted
with percentages of 55.1% and 46.2%, respectively, in chal
lenged Senate District 2).
B
Circumstances Relevant To The Claim Of Racial Vote
Dilution: The "Zimmer Factors"
At the time the challenged districting plan was enacted in
1982, the following circumstances affected the plan's effect
(footnote continued from previous page)
is the percentage used as a "benchmark" by the Justice Department in
administering § 5. Plaintiffs' expert witness opined that a 60% population
majority in the area of this district could only be considered a "competitive"
one rather than a "safe" one.
On the uncontradicted evidence adduced we find-and need only find for
present purposes-that the extant 55.1% black population majority does not
constitute an effective voting majority, i.e., does not establish peT se the
absence of racial vote dilution, in this district. See KiTksey v. BoaTd of
Supervisors, 554 F.2d139, 150 (5th Cir. 1977) ("Where ... cohesive black
voting strength is fragmented among districts, .. . the presence of districts
with bare population majorities not only does not necessarily preclude
dilution but . . . may actually enhance the possibility of continued minority
political impotence.").
.JA-24
upon the voting strength of black voters of the state (the
plaintiff class), and particularly those in the areas of the chal
lenged districts.
A History Of Official Discrimination Against Black Citizens
In Voting Matters -
Following the emancipation of blacks from slavery and the
period of post-war Reconstruction, the State of North Carolina
had officially and effectively discriminated against black
citizens in matters touching their exercise of the voting fran
chise for a period of around seventy years, roughly two genera
tions, from ca. 1900 to ca. 1970. The history of black citizens'
attempts since the Reconstruction era to participate effective
ly in the political process and the white majority's resistance to
those efforts is a bitter one, fraught with racial animosities that
linger in diminished but still evident form to the present and
that remain centered upon the voting strength of black citizens
as an identified group.
From 1868 to 1875, black citizens, newly emancipated and
given the legal right to vote, effectively exercised the fran
chise, in coalition with white Republicans, to control the state
legislature. In 1875, the Democratic Party, overwhelmingly
white in composition, regained control of state government
and began deliberate efforts to reduce participation by black
citizens in the political processes. These efforts were not imme
diately and wholly successful and black male citizens continued
to vote and to hold elective office for the remainder of the
nineteenth century.
This continued participation by black males in the political
process was furthered by Fusionists' (Populist and Republican
coalition) assumption of control of the state legislature in 1894.
For a brief season, this resulted in legislation favorable to
black citizens' political participation as well as their economic
advancement.
The Fusionists' legislative program favorable to blacks im
pelled the white-dominated Democratic Party to undertake an
JA-25
overt white supremacy political compaign to destroy the
Fusionist coalition by arousing white fears of Negro rule. This
campaign, characterized by blatant racist appeals by pamphlet
and cartoon, aided by acts of outright intimidation, succeeded
in restoring the Democratic Party to control of the legislature
in 1898. The 1898 legislature then adopted constitutional
amendments specifically designed to disenfranchise black vo
ters by imposing a poll tax and a literacy test for voting with a
grandfather clause for the literacy test whose effect was to
limit the disenfranchising effect to blacks. The amendments
were adopted by the voters of the state, following a compara
ble white supremacy campaign, in 1900. The 1900 official litera
cy test continued to be freely applied for 60 years in a variety of
forms that effectively disenfranchised most blacks. In 1961,
the North Carolina Supreme Court declared unconstitutional
the practice of requiring a registrant to write the North Caroli
na Constitution from dictation, but upheld the practice of
requiring a registrant "of uncertain ability" to read and copy in
writing the state Constitution. Bazemore v . Bertie County
Board of Elections, 254 N.C. 398 (1961). At least until around
1970, the practice of requiring black citizens to read and write
the Constitution in order to vote was continued in some areas of
the state. Not until around 1970 did the State Board of Elec
tions officially direct cessation of the administration of any
form of literacy test.
Other of:fjcial voting mechanisms designed to minimize or
cancel the potential voting strength of black citizens were also
employed by the state during this period. In 1955, an anti
single shot voting law applicable to specified municipalities and
counties was enacted. It was enforced, with the intended effect
of fragmenting a black minority's total vote between two or
more candidates in a multi-seat election and preventing its
concentration on one candidate, until declared unconstitutional
in 1972 inDunstonv. Scott, 336 F. Supp. 206 (E.D.N.C. 1972).
In 1967, a numbered-seat plan for election in multi-member
legislative districts was enacted. Its effect was, as intended, to
prevent single-shot voting in multi-member legislative dis-
JA-26
tricts . It was applied until declared unconstitutional in the
Dunston case, supra, in 1972.
In direct consequence of the poll tax and the literacy test,
black citizens in much larger percentages of their total num
bers than the comparable percentages of white citizens were
either directly denied registration or chilled from making the
attempt from the time of imposition of these devices until their
removal. After their removal as direct barriers to registration,
their chilling effect on two or more generations of black citizens
has persisted to the present as at least one cause of continued
relatively depressed levels of black voter registration. Be
tween 1930 and 1948 the percentage of black citizens who
successfully sought to register under the poll tax and literacy
tests increased from zero to 15%. During this eighteen-year
period that only ended after World War II , no black was
elected to public office in the state. In 1960, twelve years later,
after the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of E duca
tion, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), only 39.1% of the black voting age
population was registered to vote, compared to 92.1% of age
qualified whites. By 1971, following the civil rights movement,
44.4% of age-qualified blacks were registered compared to
60.6% of whites. This general range of statewide disparity
continued into 1980, when 51.3% of age-qualified blacks and
70.1% of whites were registered, and into 1982 when 52.7% of
age-qualified blacks and 66.7% of whites were registered. 22
22 The recent history of white and black voter registration statewide and in
the areas of the challenged districts is shown on the following chart.
Whole State
Mecklenburg
Forsyth
Durham
Wake
Wilson
Percent of Voting Age
Population R egistered to Vote
10/78 10180 10/82
White Black White BlcLck White Black
61.7 43. 7 70.1 51.3 66.7 52.7
71.3 40.8 73.8 48.4 73.0 50.8
65.8 58.7 76.3 67.7 69.4 64.1
63. 0 39.4 70.7 45.8 66.0 52. 9
61. 2 37.5 76. 0 48.9 72.2 49.7
60.9 36.3 66.9 40.9 64.2 48.0
(footnote continued on next page)
JA-27
Under the present Governor's administration an intelligent
and determined effort is being made by the State Board of
Elections to increase the percentages of both white and black
voter registrations, with special emphasis being placed upon
increasing the levels of registration in groups, including
blacks, in which those levels have traditionally been depressed
relative to the total voting age population. This good faith
effort by the currently responsible state agency, directly
reversing official state policies which persisted for more than
seventy years into this century, is demonstrably now produc
ing some of its intended results. If continued on a sustained
basis over a sufficient period, the effort might succeed in
removing the disparity in registration which survives as a
legacy of the long period of direct denial and chilling by the
state of registration by black citizens. But at the present time
the gap has not been closed, and there is of course no guarantee
that the effort will be continued past the end of the present
state administration.
The present condition - which we assess - is that, on a
statewide basis, black voter registration remains depressed
relative to that of the white majority, in part at least because of
the long period of official state denial and chilling of black
(footnote continued from previous page)
Percent of Voting Age
Population Registered to Vote
10/78 10/80 10182
White Black White Black White Black
Edgecombe 63.8 37.9 68.2 50.4 62.7 53.1
Nash 61.2 39.0 72.0 41.2 64.2 43.0
Bertie 75.6 46.0 77.0 54.1 74.6 60.0
Chowan 71.3 44.3 77.4 53.9 74.1 54.0
Gates 80.9 73.5 83.9 77.8 83.6 82.3
Halifax 66.8 40.9 72.0 50.4 67.3 55.3
Hertford 75.6 56.6 81.8 62.5 68.7 58.3
Martin 69.3 49.7 76.9 55.3 71.2 53.3
Northampton 72.4 58.5 77.0 63.9 82.1 73.9
Washington 74.3 62.8 82.2 66.0 75.6 67.4
JA-28
citizens' registration efforts. This statewide depression of
black voter registration levels is generally replicated in the
areas of the challenged districts, and in each is traceable in part
at least to the historical statewide pattern of official dis
crimination here found to have existed.
Effects Of Racial Discrimination In Facilities, Education,
Employment, Housing And Health
In consequence of a long history, only recently alleviated to
some degree, of racial discrimination in public and private
facility uses, education, employment, housing and health care,
black registered voters of the state remain hindered, relative
to the white majority, in their ability to participate effectively
in the political process.
At the start of this century, de jure segregation of the races
in practically all areas of their common life existed in North
Carolina. This condition continued essentially unbroken for
another sixty-odd years, through both World Wars and the
Korean conflict, and through the 1950's. During this period, in
addition to prohibiting inter-racial marriages, state statutes
provided for segregation of the races in fraternal orders and
societies; the seating and waiting rooms of railroads and other
common carriers; cemeteries; prisons, jails and juvenile deten
tion centers; institutions for the blind, deaf and mentally ill;
public and some private toilets; schools and school districts;
orphanages; colleges; and library reading rooms. With the
exception of those laws relating to schools and colleges, most of
these statutes were not repealed until after passage of the
federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, some as late as 1973.
Public schools in North Carolina were officially segregated
by race until 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education was
decided. During the long period of de jure segregation, the
black schools were consistently less well funded and were
qualitatively inferior. Following the Brown decision, the pub
lic schools remained substantially segregated for yet another
fifteen years on a de facto basis, in part at least because of
various practical impediments erected by the state to judicial
JA-29
enforcement of the constitutional right to desegregated public
education recognized in Brown. As late as 1960, only 226 black
students throughout the entire state attended formerly all
white public schools. Until the end of the 1960's, practically all
the state's public schools remained almost all white or almost
all black. Substantial desegregation of the public schools only
began to take place around a decade ago, following the Su
preme Court's decision in Swann v. Mecklenburg County
Board of Education, 402 U.S. 1 (1971). In the interval since,
"white-flight" patterns in some areas of the state have pre
vented or reversed developing patterns or desegregation of
the schools. In consequence, substantial pockets of de facto
segregation of the races in public school education have re
arisen or have continued to exist to this time though without
the great disparities in public funding and other support that
characterized de jure segregation of the schools.
Because significant desegregation of the public schools only
commenced in the early 1970's, most of the black citizens of the
state who were educated in this state and who are over 30 years
of age attended qualitatively inferior racially segregated pub
lic schools for all or most of their primary and secondary
education. The first group of black citizens who have attended
integrated public schools throughout their educational careers
are just now reaching voting age. In at least partial con
sequence of this segregated pattern of public education and the
general inferiority of de jure segregated black schools , black
citizens of the state who are over 25 year of age are substantial
ly more likely than whites to have completed less than 8 years
of education (34.6% of blacks; 22.0% of whites), and are sub
stantially less likely than whites to have had any schooling
beyond high school (17.3% of blacks; 29.3% of whites).
Residential housing patterns in North Carolina, as generally
in states with histories of de jure segregation, have traditional
ly been separated along racial lines. That pattern persists
today in North Carolina generally and in the areas covered by
the challenged districts specifically; in the latter, virtually all
residential neighborhoods are racially identifiable. Statewide, ·
JA-30
black households are twice as likely as white households to be
renting rather than purchasing their residences and are sub
stantially more likely to be living in overcrowded housing,
substandard housing, or housing with inadequate plumbing.
Black citizens of North Carolina have historically suffered
disadvantage relative to white citizens in public and private
employment. Though federal employment discrimination laws
have, since 1964, led to improvement, the effects of past dis
crimination against blacks in employment continue at present
to contribute to their relative disadvantage. On a statewide
basis , generally replicated in the challenged districts in this
action, Blacks generally hold lower paying jobs than do whites,
and consistently suffer higher incidences of unemployment. In
public employment by the state, for example, a higher percen
tage of black employees than of whites is employed at every
salary level below $12,000 per year and a higher percentage of
white employees than black is employed at every level above
$12,000.
At least partially because of this continued disparity in em
ployment opportunities, black citizens are three times as likely
as whites to have incomes below the poverty level (30% to
10% ); the mean income of black citizens is 64.9% that of white
citizens; white families are more than twice as likely as black
families to have incomes over $20, 000; and 25.1% of all black
families, compared to 7.3% of white families, have no private
vehicle available for transportation.
In matters of general health, black citizens of North Carolina
are, on available primary indicators, as a group less physically
healthy than are white citizens as a group. On a statewide
basis, the infant mortality rate (the standard health measure
used by sociologists) is approximately twice as high for non
whites (predominately blacks) as for whites. This statewide
figure is generally replicated in Mecklenburg, Forsyth,
Durham, Wake, Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash Counties (all
included within the challenged multi-member districts).
Again, on a statewide basis, the death rate is higher for black
JA-31
citizens than for white, and the life-expectancy of black citizens
is shorter than is that of whites.
On all the socio-economic factors treated in the above find
ings, the status of black citizens as a group is lower than is that
of white citizens as a group. This is true statewide, and it is true
with respect to every county in each of the districts under
challenge in this action. This lower socioeconomic status gives
rise to special group interests centered upon those factors. At
the same time, it operates to hinder the group's ability to
participate effectively in the political process and to elect rep
resentatives of its choice as a means of seeking government's
awareness of and attention to those interests. 23
Other Voting Procedures That Lessen The Opportunity Of
Black Voters To Elect Candidates Of Their Choice
In addition to the numbered seat requirement and the anti
single shot provisions of state law that were declared unconsti
tutional in 1972, see supra p. 28, North Carolina has, since
1915, had a majority vote requirement which applies to all
primary elections, but not to general elections. N.C.G.S.
§ 163-111.24
The general effect of a majority vote requirement is to make
it less likely that the candidates of any identifiable voting
23 Section 2 claimants are not required to demonstrate by direct evidence a
causal nexus between their relatively depressed socio-economic status and a
lessening of their opportunity to participate effectively in the political
process. See S. Rep. No. 97-417, supra note 10, at 29 n.114. Under
incorporated White v. Regester jurisprudence, "[i]nequality of access is an
inference which flows from the existence of economic and educational
inequalities." Kirksey v. Board of Supervisors, 554 F.2d139, 145 (5th Cir.),
cert. denied, 434 U.S. 968 (1977). Independently of any such general
presumption incorporated in amended Section 2, we would readily draw the
inference from the evidence in this case.
2~ There is no suggestion that when originally enacted in 1915, its purpose
was racially discriminatory. That point is irrelevant in assessing its present
effect, as a continued mechanism, in the totality of circumstances bearing
upon plaintiffs' dilution claim. See Part II, supra.
.JA-32
minority will finally win elections, given the necessity that
they achieve a majority of votes, if not in a first election, then
(if called for) in a run-off election. This generally adverse effect
on any cohesive voting minority is, of course, enhanced for
racial minority groups if, as we find to be the fact in this case,
see infm pp. 48-58, racial polarization in voting patterns also
exists.
While no black candidate for election to the North Carolina
General Assembly-either in the challenged districts or
elsewhere-has so far lost (or failed to win) an election solely
because of the majority vote requirement, the requirement
nevertheless exists as a continuing practical impediment to the
opportunity of black voting minorities in the challenged dis
tricts to elect candidates of their choice.
The North Carolina majority vote requirement manifestly
operates with the genE?ral effect noted upon all candidates in
primary elections. Since 1950, eighteen candidates for the
General Assembly who led first primaries with less than a
majority of votes have lost run-off elections, as have twelve
candidates for other statewide offices, including a black cancli
date for Lt. Governor and a black candidate for Congress. The
requirement therefore necessarily operates as a general, ongo
ing impediment to any cohesive voting minority's opportunity
to elect candidates of its choice in any contested primary, and
particularly to any racial minority in a racially-polarized vote
setting. 25
North Carolina does not have a subdistrict residency
requirement for members of the Senate and House elected
from multi-member districts, a requirement which could to
some degree off-set the disadvantage of any voting minority in
multi-member districts. 26
25 See White v. Regester, 412 U. S. 775, 766 (1973).
26 See icl. at 766 n.10.
JA-33
Use Of Racial Appeals In Political Campaigns
From the Reconstruction era to the present time, appeals to
racial prejudice against black citizens have been effectively
used by persons, either candidates or their supporters, as a
means of influencing voters in North Carolina political cam
paigns. The appeals have been overt and blatant at some times,
more subtle and furtive at others. They have tended to be most
overt and blatant in those periods when blacks were openly
asserting political and civil rights- during the Reconstruction
Fusion era and during the era of the major civil rights move
ment in the 1950's and 1960's. During the period from ca. 1900
to ca. 1948 when black citizens of the state were generally
quiescent under de jure segregation, and when there were few
black voters and no black elected officials, racial appeals in
political campaigning were simply not relevant and according
ly were not used. With the early stirrings of what became the
civil rights movement following World War II, overt racial·
appeals reappeared in the campaign of some North Carolina
candidates. Though by and large less gross and virulent than
were those of the outright white supremacy campaigns of 50
years earlier, these renewed racial appeals picked up on the
same obvious themes of that earlier time: black domination or
influence over "moderate" or "liberal" white candidates and
the threat of "negro rule" or "black power" by blacks "bloc
voting" for black candidates or black-"dominated" candidates.
In recent years, as the civil rights movement, culminating in
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, completed the eradication of de
jure segregation, and as overt expressions of racist attitudes
became less socially acceptable, these appeals have become
more subtle in form and furtive in their dissemination, but they
persist to this time.
The record in this case is replete with specific examples of
this general pattern of racial appeals in political campaigns. In
addition to the crude cartoons and pamphlets of the outright
white supremacy campaigning of the 1890's which featured
white political opponents in the company of black political
leaders, later examples include various campaign materials,
.JA-34
unmistakably appealing to the same racial fears and pre
judices, that were disseminated during some of the most hotly
contested statewide campaigns of the state's recent history:
the 1950 campaign for the United States Senate; the 1954
campaign for the United States Senate; the 1960 campaign for
Governor; the 1968 campaign for Governor; the 1968 Presiden
tial campaign in North Carolina; the 1972 campaign for the
United States Senate; and most recently, in the imminent 1984
campaign for the United States Senate.
Numerous other examples of assertedly more subtle forms
of "telegraphed" racial appeals in a great number of local and
statewide elections, abound in the record. Laying aside the
more attenuated forms of arguably racial allusions in some of
these , we find that racial appeals in North Carolina political
campaigns have for the past thirty years been widespread and
persistent.
The contents of these materials reveal an unmistakable in
tention by their disseminators to exploit existing fears and
prejudices and to create new fears and prejudices on the part of
white citizens in regard to black citizens and to black citizens'
participation in the political processes of the state. The con
tinued dissemination of these materials throughout this period
and down to the present time evidences an informed percep
tion by the persons who have disseminated them that they
have had their intended effect to a degree warranting their
continued use.
On this basis, we find that the historic use of racial appeals in
political campaigns in North Carolina persists to the present
time and that its effect is presently to lessen to some degTee the
opportunity of black citizens to participate effectively in the
political processes and to elect candidates of their choice.
The Extent Of Election Of Black Citizens To Public Office
Statewide history. It appears that, with one exception, no
black citizen was elected during this century to public office in
North Carolina until after World War II. In 1948 and during
JA-35
the early 1950's a few black citizens were elected to various city
councils. Twenty years later, in 1970, there were in the state 62
black elected officials. In 1969 a black citizen was elected to the
State House of Representatives for the first time since Recon
struction; in 1975 two blacks were elected, for the first time, to
the Senate. From 1970 to 1975 the number of black elected
officials increased from 62 to over 200 statewide; in 1982, that
number had increased to 255.
At present the number of elected black officials remains
quite low in relation to total black population, which is 22.4% of
the state total. Black citizens hold 9% of the city council seats
(in cities of over 500 population); 7.3% of county commission
seats; 4% of sheriffs offices; and 1% of the offices of Clerk of
Superior Court. There are 19 black mayors, 13 of whom are in
majority black municipalities. Of the black city council mem
bers, approximately 40% are from majority black municipali
ties or election districts. Three black judges have been elected
in statewide elections to seats to which they had been ap
pointed by the Governor. Other than these judges, no black has
yet been elected during this century to any statewide office or
to the Congress of the United States as a representative of this
state.
Between 1971 and 1982 there have been, at any given time,
between two and four black members of the North Carolina
House of Representatives out of a total of 120-between 1.6%
and 3.3%. From 1975 to 1983 there have been, at any given
time, either one or two black members of the State Senate out
of a total of 50-between 2% and 4%. Most recently, in 1982,
after this action was filed, 11 black citizens were elected to the
State House of Representatives. Six of those 11 were elected
from multi-member districts in which blacks constituted a
voting minority (including 5 of those challenged); 5 were
elected from newly created majority black districts.
Historically, in those multi-member districts where some
blacks have succeeded in being elected, overall black candida
cies have been significantly less successful than white candida-
JA-36
cies have been significantly less successful than white candida
cies. Black candidates who, between 1970 and 1982, won in
Democratic primaries in the six multi-member districts under
challenge here were three times as likely to lose in the general
election as were their white Democratic counterparts, a fact of
statistical significance in assessing the continued effect of race
in those elections.
In The Challenged Multi-Member Districts
House District 36 (Mecklenburg County); Senate District 22
(Mecklenburg/Cabarrus Counties).
In this century one black citizen has been elected to the State
House of Representatives and one black citizen has been
elected to the Senate from Mecklenburg County. The House
member was elected as one of an eight-member delegation in
1982, after this lawsuit was commenced. Seven other black
citizens had previously run unsuccessfully for a House seat.
The Senate member served as one of a 4-member delegation
from Mecklenburg and Cabarrus Counties from 1975 to 1980.
Since then two black citizens have run unsuccessfully and no
black now serves on the Senate delegation.
Since World War II , blacks, who now constitute 31% of the
city's population, have been elected to the City Council of
Charlotte, but never in numbers remotely proportional to their
percentage of the city's population. During the period 1945 to
1975, when the council was elected all at-large , blacks con
stituted 5.4% of its membership. From 1977-1981, when the
council was elected partially at-large and partially by districts,
blacks won 28.6% of the district seats compared with 16.7% of
the at-large seats, though more ran for the latter than the
former.
One black citizen has been elected (three times) and defeated
one time for membership on the five-member County Board of
Commissioners, and presently serves. Two black citizens have
been elected and now serve on the nine-member County Board
of Education.
JA-37
Following trial of this action, a black citizen was elected
mayor of the City of Charlotte, running as a Democrat against
a white Republican. The successful black candidate, a widely
respected architect, received approximately 38% of the white
vote.
House District No. 29 (part of Forsyth County).
Before 1974 Black citizens had been elected to the City
Council ofWinston-Salem, but to no other public office. In 197 4
and again in 1976 a black citizen was elected to the House of
Representatives as one of a five-member delegation. In 1978
and 1980 other black citizens ran unsuccessfully for the House.
In 1982, after this litigation was commenced, two black citizens
were elected to the House.
No black citizen has been elected to the Senate from Forsyth
County.
Since 1974, a black citizen has been elected, twice failed te be
reelected, then succeeded in being reelected to one of eight
seats on the otherwise all-white Board of Education; and
another has been elected, failed to be reelected, then suc
ceeded in being reelected to one of five seats on the otherwise
all-white Board of County Commissioners.
House District No. 23 (Durham County).
Since 1973 a black citizen has been elected each two-year
term to the State House. No black citizen has been elected to
the Senate. Since 1969, blacks have been elected to the Board
of County Commissioners, and three of twelve Durham City
Council members are blacks elected in at-large elections. The
City of Durham is 4 7% black in population.
House District No. 21 (Wake County).
A black citizen has been twice elected to the State House
five-member delegation from this district and is presently
serving. Another black citizen was elected for two terms to the
State Senate, serving from 1975 to 1978.
JA-38
A black citizen has been twice elected Sheriff of Wake Coun
ty and is presently in that office. Another black citizen, who
lives in an affluent white neighborhood, has served since 1972
as the only black on the seven-member County Board of Com
missioners. Another black citizen, elected from a majority
black district, serves as the only black on the nine-member
County School Board. Another black citizen served one term
as mayor of the City of Raleigh from 1973 to 1975, and still
another serves on the Raleigh City Council.
House District No. 8 (Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson Counties).
There has never been a black member of the State House or
Senate from the area covered by this district. There had never
been a black member of the Board of County Commissioners of
any of the three counties until 1982 when two blacks were
elected to the five-member Board in Edgecombe County, in
which blacks constitute 43% of the registered voters. In Wilson
County, where the black population is 36.5% of the total, one of
nine members of the County Board of Education is black. In the
City of Wilson, which is over 40% black in population, one of six
city councilmen is black.
Senate District No. 2 ( Northampton, Hertford, Gates, Bertie,
Chowan, and parts of Washington, Martin, Halifax and
Edgecombe Counties).
No black person has ever been elected to the State Senate
from any of the area covered by the district. In the last four
years, black candidates have won three elections for the State
House from areas within the borders of this district, one in 1980
in a majority-white multi-member district, two in 1982 in dif
ferent majority-black districts. In Gates County, where 49%
of the registered voters are black, a black citizen has been
elected and presently serves as Clerk of Court. In Halifax
County, black citizens have run unsuccessfully for the Board of
County Commissioners and for the City Council of Roanoke
Rapids.
JA-39
Looking only to these basic historical facts respecting black
citizens' election to public office, we draw the following in
ferences. Thirty-five years after the first successful candida
cies for public office by black citizens in this century, it has now
become possible for black citizens to be elected to office at all
levels of state government in North Carolina. The chances of a
black candidate's being elected are better where the candidacy
is in a majority-black constituency, where the candidacy is in a
single-member rather than a multi-member or at-large dis
trict, where it is for local rather than statewide office, and
where the black candidate is a member of the political party
currently in the ascendancy with voters. Relative to white
candidates running for the same office at whatever level, black
candidates remain at a disadvantage in terms of relative proba
bility of success. The overall results achieved to date at all
levels of elective office are minimal in relation to the percen
tage of blacks in the total population. There are intimations
from recent history, particularly from the 1982 elections, that a
more substantial breakthrough of success could be imminent
but there were enough obviously aberrational aspects present
in the most recent elections to make that a matter of sheer
speculation. 27 In any event, the success that has been achieved
by black candidates to date is; standing alone, too minimal in
total numbers and too recent in relation to the long history of
complete denial of any elective opportunities to compel or even
27 Both parties offered evidence-anecdotal, informed "lay opinion," and
documentary-to establish on the one hand that recent black successes
indicated an established breakthrough from any preexisting racial vote
dilution and on the other, that those successes are too "haphazard" and
aberrational in terms of specific candidacies, issues, and political trends and,
in any event, still too minimal in numbers, to support any such ultimate
inference. Heavily emphasized with respect to successful black candidacies
in 1982 was the fact that in some elections the pendency of this very litigation
worked a one-time advantage for black candidates in the form of unusual
organized political support by white leaders concerned to forestall
single-member districting, and that this cannot be expected to recur. Our
finding, as stated in text , reflects our weighing of these conflicting
inferences.
JA-40
arguably to support an ultimate finding that a black candidate's
race is no longer a significant adverse factor in the political
processes of the state-either generally or specifically in the
areas of the challenged districts.
Racial Polarization in Voting
Statistical evidence presented by duly qualified expert wit
nesses for plaintiffs, supplemented to some degree by direct
testimony oflay witnesses, establishes, and we find, that with
in all the challenged districts racially polarized voting exists in
a persistent and severe degree.
Multi-Member Districts
To analyze the existence and extent of any racially polarized
voting in the challenged multi-member districts, Dr. Bernard
Grofman, a duly qualified expert witness for plaintiffs, had
collected and studied data from 53 sets of recent election re
turns involving black candidacies in all of the challenged multi
member districts. 28 Based upon two complementary methods
of analysis of the collected data, 29 Grofman gave as his opinion,
and we find, that in each of the elections analyzed racial
polarization did exist and that the degree revealed in every
28 Included were all the elections for the General Assembly in which there
were black candidates in Mecklenburg, Durham, and Forsyth County;
elections for the State House of Representatives in Wilson, Edgecombe, and
Nash Counties; and elections for the State Senate in Cabarrus County for the
election years 1978, 1980, and 1982; county-wide local elections in each of
Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash Counties in which there were black
candidates. The 53 elections included both primary and general elections and
represented a total of 32 different election contests.
29 The two methods employed, both standard in the literature for the
analysis of racially polarized voting, were an "extreme case" analysis and an
"ecological regression" analysis . The extreme case analysis focuses on voting
in racially segregated precincts; the regTession analysis uses both racially
segregated and racially mixed precincts and provides any corrective method
to reflect the fact that voters in the two types may behave differently. In Dr.
(footnote continued on next page)
JA-41
election analyzed was statistically significant, in the sense that
the probability of its occurring by chance was less than one in
100,000;30 and that in all but two of the elections the degree
revealed was so marked as to be substantively significant, in
the sense that the results ofthe individual election would have
Grofman's analysis the results under both methods conformed closely in most
cases. The purpose of both methods is simply to determine the extent to
which blacks and whites vote differently from each other in relation to the
race of candidates.
Defendants' duly qualified expert witness, Dr. Thomas Hofeller, had
studied Dr. Grofman's data and the mathematics of his analysis of that data,
and heard his live testimony. Aside from two mathematical or typographical
errors, Dr. Hofeller did not question the accuracy of the data, its adequacy as
a reliable sample for the purpose used, nor that the methods of analysis used
were standard in the literature. He questioned the reliability of an extreme
case analysis standing alone , but, as indicated, Dr. Grofman's did not stand
alone. Dr. Hofeller also questioned Dr. Grofman's failure to make an exact
count of voter turn-out by race rather than using estimated figures . The
literature makes no such demand of precision in obtaining this figure , and Dr.
Grofman's method of estimating is accepted. Dr. Hofeller made no specific
suggestion of error in the figures used.
We have accepted the accuracy and reliability of the data collected and the
methods of analysis used by Dr. Grofman for the purposes offered. The
general reliability of Dr. Grofman's analysis was further confirmed by the
testimony of Dr. Theodore Arrington, a duly qualified expert witness for the
Pugh intervenor-plaintiffs, see note 4, supra. Proceeding by a somewhat
different methodology and using different data, Dr. Arrington came to the
same general conclusion respecting the extent of racial polarization in the
narrower area of his study.
30 These conclusions were reached by determining the correlation between
the voters of one race and the number of voters who voted for a candidate of
specified race. In experience, correlations above an absolute value of .5 are
relatively rare and correlations above .9 extremely rare. All correlations
found by Dr. Grofman in the elections studied had absolute values between . 7
and . 98, with most above . 9. This reflected statistical significance at the
.00001 level - probability of chance as explanation for the coincidence of
voter's and candidate's race less than one in 100,000. Cf. Major v. Treen,
supra, slip op. 30-32 n.17 (comparable analysis of racial vote polarization by
correlation coefficients).
JA-42
been different depending upon whether it had been held among
only the white voters or only the black voters in the election.'31
Additional facts revealed by this data support the ultimate
finding that severe (substantively significant) racial polariza
tion existed in the multi-member district elections considered
as a whole. 32 In none of the elections, primary or general, did a
black candidate receive a majority of white votes cast. On the
average, 81.7% of white voters did not vote for any black
candidate in the primary elections. In the general elections,
white voters almost always ranked black candidates either last
or next to last in the multi-candidate field except in heavily
Democratic areas; in these latter, white voters consistently
ranked black candidates last among Democrats if not last or
next to last among all candidates. In fact, approximately two
thirds of white voters did not vote for black candidates in
general elections even after the candidate had won the Demo
cratic primary and the only choice was to vote for a Republican
or no one. Black incumbency alleviated the general level of
polarization revealed, but it did not eliminate it. Some black
incumbents were reelected, but none received a majority of
white votes even when the election was essentially uncon
tested. Republican voters were more disposed to vote for
31 The two exceptions involved 1982 State House elections in Durham and
Wake Counties, respectively, in which black candidates were elected to seats
in majority white multi-member districts. Both were incumbents, and in
Durham County there were only two white candidates in the race for three
seats so that the black candidate had to win. Though each black candidate
won, neither received a majority of the white vote cast. These two excep
tions did not alter Dr. Grofman's conclusion that, in his terms, racial polariza
tion in the elections analyzed as a whole was substantially significant . Nor do
they alter our finding to the same effect.
32 Defendants' expert witness questioned the accuracy of any opinion as to
the "substantive" significance of statistically significant racial polarization in
voting that did not factor in all of the circumstances that might influence
particular votes in a particular election. This flies in the face of the general
use, in litigation and in the general social science literature, of correlation
analysis as the standard method for determining whether vote dilution in the
legal (substantive) sense exists, a use conceded by defendant's expert.
JA-43
white Democrats than to vote for black Democrats. The racial
polarization revealed, of course, runs both ways , but it was
much more disadvantageous to black voters than to white.
Aside from the basic population and registered voter majority
advantages had by white voters in any racially polarized set
ting, fewer white voters voted for black candidates than did
black voters for white candidates. In these elections, a signifi
cant segment of the white voters would not vote for any black
candidate, but few black voters would not vote for any white
candidate. One revealed consequence of this disadvantage is
that to have a chance of success in electing candidates of their
choice in these districts, black voters must rely extensively on
single-shot voting, thereby forfeiting by practical necessity
their right to vote for a full slate of candidates.
The racial polarization revealed in the multi-member elec
tions considered as a whole exists in each of the challenged
districts considered separately, as indicated by the following
specific findings related to elections within each district.
House District No. 36 And Senate District No. 22
(Mecklenburg And Cabarrus Counties).
In elections in House District No. 36 (Mecklenburg County)
between 1980 and 1982, the following percentages of black and
white voters voted for the black candidates.indicated:
1980 (Maxwell)
1982 (Berry)
1982 (Richardson)
Primary
White Black
22 71
50 79
39 71
General
White Black
28 92
42 92
29 88
In elections in Senate District No. 22 (Mecklenburg and
Cabarrus Counties) between 1978 and1982, the following per-
JA-44
centages of white and black voters voted for the black cancli
dates indicated:
1978 (Alexander)
1980 (Alexander)
1982 (Polk)
Prima?"Y
White Black
47 87
23 78
32 83
General
White Black
41 94
n/a n/a
33 94
The fact that candidate Berry received votes from one half of
the white voters in the primary does not alter the conclusion
that there is substantial racially polarized voting in Mecklen
burg County in primaries. There were only seven white cancli
dates for eight positions in the primay and one black candidate
had to be elected. Berry, the incumbent chairman of the Board
of Education, ranked first among black voters but seventh
among whites.
The only other black candidate who approached receiving as
many as half of the white votes was Fred Alexander, running in
the 1978 Senate primary as an incumbent. Alexander ranked
last among white voters in the primary and would have been
defeated if the elction had been held only among the white
voters.
Approximately 60% of the white voters voted for neither
Berry nor Alexander in the general election.
House District No. 39 (Forsyth County).
In House and Senate elections in Forsyth County from 1978-
1982 the following percentages of white and black voters voted
for the black candidates indicated:
Prima?"Y General
White Black White Black
1978 House -
Kennedy, H. 28 76 32 93
Norman 8 29 n/a n/a
Ross 17 53 n/a n/a
Sumter (Repub.) n/a n/a 33 25
JA-45
Primary General
White Black White Black
1980 House -
Kennedy, A. 40 86 32 96
Norman 18 36 n/a n/a
1980 Senate -
Small 12 61 n/a n/a
1982 House -
Hauser 25 80 42 87
Kennedy, A. 36 87 46 94
As revealed by this data, no black candidate, whether suc
cessful or not, has received more than 40% of the white votes
cast in a primary, and no black candidate has received more
than 46% of the white votes cast in a general election during the
last four elections.
Though black candidates Kennedy and Hauser won the
House election in 1982, this does not alter the conclusion that
substantial racial polarization of voting continued through that
election. White voters ranked Kennedy and Hauser seventh
and eighth, respectively, out of eight candiates in the general
election. In contrast black voters ranked them first and second
respectively.
House District No. 23 (Durham County).
In House and Senate Elections from 1978 through 1982, the
following percentages of white and black voters voted for the
black candidates indicated:
Prima?"Y General
White Black White Black
1978 Senate -
Barns (Repub. ) n/a n/a 17 5
1978 House-
Clement 10 89 n/a n/a
Spaulding 16 92 37 89
JA-46
Primary General
White Black White Black
1980 House -
Spaulding nla nla 49 90
1982 House-
Clement 26 32 nla n/a
Spaulding 37 90 43 89
Black candidate Spaulding ran uncontested in the general
election in 1978 and in the primary and general election in 1980.
In the 1982 election there was no Republican opposition and
the general election was, for all practical purposes, unopposed.
A majority of white voters failed to vote for the black candidate
in the general election in each of these years even when they
had no other choice. Furthermore, in the 1982 primary, there
were only two white candidates for three seats so that one
black necessarily had to win. Even in this situation, 63% of
white voters did not vote for the black incumbent, the clear
choice of the black voters. At least 37% of white voters voted
for no black candidate even when one was certain to be elected.
House District No. 21 (Wake County).
In elections for the North Carolina House of Representa
tives from 1978 through 1982 the following percentages of
white and black voters voted for the black candidate indicated:
1978 (Blue)
1980 (Blue)
1982 (Blue)
Primary
White Black
21 76
31 81
39 82
Gene'ral
White Black
nla nla
44 90
45 91
The fact that black candidate Blue won election in the last
two of these candidacies does not alter the conclusion that
substantial racial polarization in voting persists in this district.
In Wake County winning the Democratic primary is historical
ly tantamount to election. Nevertheless, in these elections
.JA-47
from 60% to 80% of white voters did not vote for the black
candidate in the primary compared to 76% and 80% of black
voters who did.
Wake County is overwhelmingly Democratic in registration
and normally votes along party lines. Nonetheless, 55% of
white voters did not vote for the black Democrat in the general
electioin.
House District No. 8 (Wilson, Nash, Edgecombe Counties).
In county-wide or district-wide elections from 1976 through
1982 in House District No. 8 and Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash
Counties, the following percentages of white and black voters
voted for the black candidates indicated:
House District No. 8
1982 House-Carter
Wilson County
1982 Congress-
1st Primary-Michaux
2nd Primary-Michaux
1976 County Commission
Jones
Edgecombe County
1982 Congress-
1st Primary-Michaux
2nd Primary-Michaux
1982 County Commission
Green
' McClain
Thorne
Walker
Primary General
White Black White Black
4
6
7
32
2
3
0
0
4
2
66
96
98
77
84
97
14
27
75
82
38
36
91
94
Nash County
1982 Congress-
1st Primary
2nd Primary
1982 County Commission
Sumner
JA-48
Primary General
White Black White Black
6
6
9
73
81
82
With one exception, over this period more than 90% of the
white voters have failed to vote for the black candidate in every
primary in each of these three counties. The one time, in 1982,
that black Democratic candidates have run in a general elec
tion, they failed to receive over 60% of the white vote even
though Edgecombe County is overwhelmingly (88.5%) Demo
cratic.
This data reveals racial polarization of voting in House Dis
trict No. 8 so extreme that, all other factors aside, no black has
any chance of winning election in the district as it is presently
constituted. This conclusion, as expressed in evidence by plain
tiffs' expert witness, was not seriously challenged by defend
ants.
Single-Member District
Senate District No. 2.
Essentially unchallenged and unrebutted opinion evidence
given by plaintiffs' expert witness, Dr. Grofman, and testimo
nial evidence of experienced local political observers and black
community leaders establishes that severe and persistent ra
cial polarization in voting exists in the area covered by the
challenged single-member Senate District No. 2.
Based on these evidentiary findings with respect to racial
polarization in voting, we find that in each of the challenged
districts racial polarization in voting presently exists to a sub
stantial or severe degree, and that in each district it presently
operates to minimize the voting strength of black voters .
JA-49
Other Factors Bearing Upon The Claim
Of Racial Vote Dilution
Increased participation by black citizens in the political
process.
The court finds that in recent years there has been a measur
able increase in the ability and willingness of black citizens to
participate in the state's political processes and in its govern
ment at state and local levels. The present state administration
has appointed a significant number of black citizens to judicial
and executive positions in state government, and evinces a
good faith determination further to open the political processes
to black citizens by that means. In some areas of the state,
including some of those directly involved in this litigation,
there is increased willingness on the part of influential white
politicians openly to draw black citizens into political coalitions
and openly to support their candidacies. Indeed, among the
witnesses for the state were respected and influential political
figures who themselves fit that description.
The court has considered what this implies for the plaintiffs'
claim of present racial vote dilution-of a present lack of equal
opportunity by black citizens relative to white citizens to par
ticipate in the political process and to elect candidates of their
choice. Our conclusion is that though this wholesome develop
ment is undoubtedly underway and will presumably continue,
it has not proceeded to the point of overcoming still entrenched
racial vote polarization, and indeed has apparently done little
to diminish the level of that single most powerful factor in
causing racial vote dilution. The participatory level of black
citizens is still minimal in relation to the overall black popula
tion, and, quite understandably, is largely confined to the
relatively few forerunners who have achieved professional
status or otherwise emerged from the generally depressed
socio-economic status which, as we have found on the record
produced in this case, remains the present lot of the gTeat bulk
of black citizens.
JA-50
Divisions Within The Black Community.
Not all black citizens in North Carolina, notwithstanding
that the class technically certified in this action includes all who
are registered to vote, share the same views about the present
reality of racial vote dilution in the challenged districts (or
presumably elsewhere), nor about the appropriate solution to
any dilution that may exist.
Several black citizens testified in this action, as witnesses for
the state, to this effect, identifying their own views as opposed
to those advanced by plaintiffs' witnesses. In terms of their
experience, achievement and general credibility as witnesses ,
the views of these defendant-witnesses were clearly as deserv
ing of acceptance by the court as were those of the black
citizens who, in larger numbers, testified as witnesses for the
plaintiffs.
Two facts appeared, however, to the court. The first is that
the views expressed by defendants' witnesses went almost
exclusively to the desirability of the remedy sought by plain
tiffs, and not to the present existence of a condition of vote
dilution. The other fact is that the defendants' witnesses' views
must be accounted, on the record adduced in this case, a
distinct minority viewpoint within the plaintiff class as certi
fied . The division between the two elements is essentially one
of proper political ends and means to break free of racial vote
dilution as a present condition, and not of the present existence
of that condition. Only if a dissident element were so large as to
draw in question the very existence of an identifiable black
community whose "ability to participate" and "freedom to elect
candidates of its choice" could rationally be assessed, could the
existence of a dissident view have relevance to the establish
ment of a racial vote dilution claim. That clearly is not the
circumstance here , on the record made in this action. As earlier
indicated, the further political question of the proper means to
eradicate such racial vote dilution as might be shown presently
to exist has been decided by Congress and does not properly
figure in our judicial inquiry. See Part II , supm.
JA-51
Fairness Of The State Legislative Policy Underlying The
Challenged Redistricting
Under amended§ 2 it presumably remains relevant to con
sider whether race-neutral and compelling state policies might
justify a redistricting plan that concededly, or at least arguab
ly, "results" prima facie in racial vote dilution. The Senate
Report, discussing the continued relevance of the "tenuous
state policy" inquiry as one of the incorporated Zimm er factors
that evolved in White v. Regester dilution jurisprudence, in
dicates as much, though "tenuousness" as a gauge of intent is
obviously no longer relevant under § 2's "result-only" test.
If the procedure markedly departs from past practices
or from practices elsewhere in the jurisdiction, that bears
on the fairness of its impact. But even a consistently
applied practice premised on a racially neutral policy
would not negate a plaintiffs showing through other fac
tors that the challenged practice denies minorities fair
access to the process.
8. Rep. No. 97-417, supra note 10, at 29 & n.117. See also
Major v. Treen, supra, slip op. 67-74 (analyzing state
redistricting policy in terms of fairness) .
The parties in this litigation have addressed the point under
the "tenuous state policy" rubric, and we will assume the
inquiry's continued relevance under a "results" -only test. On
this basis, we are persuaded that no state policy, either as
demonstrably employed by the legislature in its deliberations,
or as now asserted by the state in litigation, could "negate a
showing" here that actual vote dilution results from the chal
lenged district plan.
During the legislative deliberations on the redistricting
plan, the legislature was well aware of the possibility that its
plan could result under then applicable federal law in imper
missible dilution of black citizens' voting strength if concentra
tions of black voters were intentionally "submerged" in multi
member districts or "fractured" into separate districts. That
fact was brought to its attention by special counsel, by black
citizens' groups concerned with the problem, and by various
JA-52
legislators who proposed plans specifically designed to avoid
any possibility of impermissibly diluting black citizens' votes in
these ways. The specific dilution problems presented by the
black voter concentrations in the challenged districts in this
litigation were known to and discussed in legislative delibera
tions .
The basic policy justification advanced by the state in this
litigation for the legislature's declination to create single
member districts to avoid submerging concentrations of black
voters in the challenged multi-member districts was the main
tenance of an historical, functionally sound tradition of using
whole counties as the irreversible "building blocks" of legisla
tive districting. Although the state adduced fairly persuasive
evidence that the "whole-county" policy was well-established
historically, had legitimate functional purposes, and was in its
origins completely without racial implications, that all became
largely irrelevant as matters developed in this particular
legislative redistricting plan. At the time of its final enact
ment, the state policy-though compelled-was that counties
might be split. When the Attorney General declined to give
preclearance to the state constitutional prohibition of county
divisions in redistricting, the state acquiesced and, indeed,
divided counties thereafter both in non-covered as well as
covered counties in the final redistricting plan. See note 3,
supm. To the extent the policy thereafter was to split counties
only when necessary to meet population deviation require
ments or to obtain§ 5 preclearance of particular districts-and
this is what the record demonstrates-such a policy obviously
could not be drawn upon to justify, under a fairness test,
districting which results in racial vote dilution.
The same findings apply, though with added force, to Senate
District No. 2. There, of course, in the final plan counties were
split; indeed four were split in the face of a proposed plan which
would have yielded an effective black-majority single-member
district which only involved splitting two counties. Other poli
cy considerations that were plainly shown to have influenced
the legislature in its final drawing of Senate District No. 2lines
J A-53
were the protection of incumbents and, in the words of one
legislator-witness in this action, swallowing the "smallest of
three pills" offered by the Justice Department in preclearance
negotiations respecting the lowest permissible size of the black
population concentration in the district. Obviously, neither of
these policies could serve to outweigh a racial dilution result.
The final policy consideration suggested by the state is the
avoidance of race-conscious gerrymandering. While there may
be some final constitutional constraint here, cf. Karcher v.
Daggett,_ U.S._,_, 51 U.S.L.W. 4853, 4860 (U.S.
June 22, 1983) (Stevens, J., concurring), we find that it is not
approached here by the available means of avoiding sub
mergence or fragmentation of any of the black voter concentra
tions at issue. The most serious problem is that posed by the
configuration of the black voter concentration in House Dis
trict No. 8, conprised of Wilson, Nash and Edgecombe Coun
ties. The configuration of the single-member district specifical
ly suggested by the plaintiffs as a viable one is obviously not a
model of aesthetic tidiness. But given the evidence, not chal
lenged by defendants, that in the present multi-member dis
trict the black population, 39.5% of the total, simply cannot
hope ever to elect a candidate of its choice, aesthetics, as
opposed to compactness and commonality of interests, cannot
be accorded primacy. See Carstens v. Lamm, supra; Skolnick
v. State Electoral Board, 336 F. Supp. 839, 843 (N.D. Ill. 1971)
(three-judge court) (even compactness not a fundamental
requirement).
Ultimate Findings Of Fact
1. Considered in conjunction with the totality of relevant
circumstances found by the court-the lingering effects of
seventy years of official discrimination against black citizens in
matters touching registration and voting, substantial to severe
racial polarization in voting, the effects of thirty years of per
sistent racial appeals in political campaigns, a relatively de
pressed socio-economic status resulting in significant degree
from a century of de juTe and de facto segregation, and the
J.A.-54
continuing effect of a majority vote requirement-the creation
of each of the multi-member districts challenged in this action
results in the black registered voters of that district being
submerged as a voting minority in the district and thereby
having less opportunity than do other members of the electo
rate to participate in the political process and to elect repre
sentatives of their choice.
2. Considered in conjunction with the same circumstances,
the creation of single-member Senate District No. 2 results in
the black registered voters in an area covered by Senate Dis
tricts Nos. 2 and 6 having their voting strength diluted by
fracturing their concentration into two districts in each of
which they are a voting minority and in consequence have less
opportunity than do other members of the electorate to partici
pate in the political process and to elect representatives of
their choice. 33
33 The state challenges the basic premise of this finding with the familiar
argument that the relative merits oflegislative division of a minority popula
tion that is not large enough to form voting majorities in two single-member
districts into an effective voting majority in one single-member district and
an ineffective minority in another or, on the other hand , dividing it into two
substantially influential minorities in two districts is so problematical that
neither the one nor the other division can properly be adjudged "dilutive" by
a court. See, e.g., Seamon v. Upham, 536 F. Supp. 931, 949 (E .D. Tex.)
(three-judge court) rev'd on other grounds, 456 U.S. 37 (1982); compare
Jordan v. Winter, 541 F. Supp. 1135, 1143 (N.D. Miss. 1982) (three-judge
court), vacated and remanded for further consideration in light of amended
§ 2, 103 S. Ct. 2077 (1983) (legislative preference unchallengeable) with
Kirksey v. Board of Supervisors, 554 F .2d at 150 (dilution possible even if
one of districts has a bare black population majority). The specific argument
here is that any increase in the present minority population of 55. 1% in
Senate District No. 2 will be at the expense of the present 49.3% black
population in Senate District No.6, the obvious source of District 2 increase.
We are not impressed with the argument. While the dilemma is a real one,
we think it is one that Congress has , in effect, committed to the judgment of
the black community to whom it has given the private right of action under
amended § 2. The right created is, by definition, that of a "class" and the
procedural means of vindicating it by a class action has also been provided by
(footnote continued on next page)
JA-55
IV
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
1. The court has jurisdiction of the parties and of the sub
ject matter of the action under'28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1343, and 42
U.S.C. § 1973c.
· 2. The court is properly convened as a three-judge court
under 28 U.S.C. § 2284(a).
3. The action has been properly certified as a class action on
behalf of all black residents of North Carolina who are reg
istered to vote. No challenge is made to the propriety of the
class action under any of the criteria of the governing class
action rule, Rule 23, Fed. R. Civ. P.
4. Of the challenged districts, only House District No. 8
(Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash) and Senate District No. 2
include counties that are covered under § 4(a) of the Voting
(footnote continued from previous page)
Congress in Fed.R.Civ.P. 23. When, as here, such a class action is brought
by a class which includes such a fragmented concentration of black voters, a
group judgment about the group's best means of access to the political
process must be assumed reflected in the specific claim made by the class.
The legitimacy of that group judgment, from the standpoint of members of
the class identified, can be put to test by standard procedures: by challenges
to the adequacy of representation or the typicality of claims by any members
of the identified class who question the wisdom or validity of the class claim
under Rule 23(a)(3) & (4), Fed.R.Civ.P., or even by attempted intervention
under Rule 24, Fed.R.Civ.P. When, as here, no such challenges are made, a
dilution claim made by the class is properly assessed in the terms made, and
on the understanding that any judgment entered on its basis will be binding
on all members of the class who may not later second-guess it under ordinary
principles of claim preclusion, see Restatement (Second) Judgments § 24
comments b, c; § 25 comments f, m; § 4l(l)(e), (2) comment e, or, possibly,
judicial estoppel, see Allen v. Zurich Ins. Co., 667 F .2dll62 (4th Cir . 1982).
If this were not the approach taken, a foolproof means would be provided
for irremediable fracturing of any such minority voter concentration. That
cannot have been intended by Congress. A different situation of course
would be presented if the class of black voters bringing such a dilution-by
fracturing claim included only the voters in one of the districts into which the
fracturing had occurred. That is not this case.
JA-56
Rights Act and for which preclearance is required under § 5 of
that Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1973c.
The Attorney General's indication on April27, 1982, that, so
far as it affected covered counties, he would interpose no
objection under § 5 to the legislative enactment of the
redistricting plan which, inter alia, created House District No.
8 and Senate District No.2 does not have the effect of preclud
ing this claim by plaintiffs brought under amended § 2 to chal
lenge the redistricting plan in respect of these two districts. 42
U.S.C. § 1973c; Major v. Treen, supra, slip op. at 200 n.1;
United States v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, 594
F .2d 56, 59 n.9 (5th Cir. 1979); see also Morris v. Gressette, 432
U.S. 491, 506-07 (1977). Because the standards by which the
Attorney General assesses voting changes under§ 5 are differ
ent from those by which judicial claims under § 2 are to be
assessed by the judiciary, seeS. Rep. No. 97-417, supra note
10, at 68, 138-39, and because the former are ·applied in a
non-adversarial administrative proceeding, the Attorney
General's preclearance determination has no issue preclusive
(collateral estoppel) effect in this action. See Restatement
(Second) Judgments §§ 27 comment C; 83(2) & (3) (1980).
5. The meaning and intended application of amended § 2 of
the Voting Rights Act in relation to the claims at issue in this
action are as stated in Part II of this Memorandum Opinion.
6. On the basis of this court's ultimate findings of fact , the
plaintiffs have established that the creation by the General
Assembly of North Carolina of multi-member House Districts
Nos. 8, 21, 23, 36and39, multi-memberSenateDistrictNo. 22,
and single-member Senate District No. 2 will, as applied,
result in an abridgement of their voting rights, as members of a
class protected by subsection (a) of amended § 2 of the Voting
Rights Act, in violation of that section.
7. The plaintiffs are entitled to appropriate relief from the
violation.
JA-57
v
REMEDY
Having determined that the state's redistricting plans, in
the respects challenged, are not in compliance with the man
date of amended § 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the court will
enter an order declaring the redistricting plan violative of§ 2
in those respects, and enjoining the defendants from conduct
ing elections pursuant to the plan in its present form.
In deference to the primary jurisdiction of state legislatures
over legislative reapportionment, White v. Weiser, 412 U.S.
783, 795 (1973), we will defer further action to allow the Gener
al Assembly of North Carolina an opportunity to exercise that
jurisdiction in an effort to comply with § 2 in the respects
required. This is especially appropriate where, as here, the
General Assembly adopted the plan found violative of § 2 be
fore the enactment of the amended version of that statute
which now applies, and where there has accordingly been no
previous legislative opportunity to assess the amended stat
ute's substantial new requirements for affirmatively avoiding
racial vote dilution rather than merely avoiding its intentional
imposition.
Having determined that the present plan violates a secured
voting right, our obligation remains, however, to provide
affirmative judicial relief if needed to insure compliance by the
state with its duty to construct districts that do not dilute the
voting strength of the plaintiff class in the ways here found, or
in other ways. See In re: Illinois Congressional Districts Re
apportionment Cases, No. 81 C 1395, slip op. (N.D. Ill. 1981),
affd mem. sub nom., Ryan v. Otto, 454 U.S. 1130 (1982);
Rybicki v. State Board of Elections, No. 81 C 6030 (N.D. Ill.
Jan. 12, 1982); Kirksey v. Board of Supervisors, 554 F .2d 139
(5th Cir.), cert. denied, 434 U.S. 968 (1977).
Recognizing the difficulties posed for the state by the immi
nence of 1984 primary elections, the court will convene at any
time, upon request of the state, to consider and promptly to
rule upon any redistricting plan that has been enacted by the
JA-58
State in an effort to comply with the mandates of § 2 and with
this decision. Failing legislative action having that effect with
in a reasonable time under the circumstances, not later than
March 16, 1984, the court will discharge its obligation to de
velop and implement an appropriate remedial plan.
An appropriate order will issue.
JA-59
I. STIPULATIONS
The parties to Ging~es v. Edmisten and Pugh v. Hunt
enter into the following stipulation for use in these actions.
A. Jurisdictional Stipulations (1-6)
B. Legislative Chronology (7-48 with Exhibits A-II
and AAA-RRR)
C. Other Stipulations of Fact ( 49-193 with Exhibits
JJ-SS)
A. Jurisdictional Stipulations
1. The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of
these two actions pursuant to 28 U.S.C. ~~ 1331 and 1343
(a) (3) and (a)(4).
2. A three judge court is properly convened pursuant
to 28 U.S.C. ~2284(a).
3. The court has jurisdiction over all parties to the
actions .
• • • • • • • • •
4. Gingles v. Edmisten has been properly certified as a
class action on behalf of all black residents of North
Carolina who are registered to vote.
5A. Ralph Gingles is an adult black resident of Gaston
County, North Carolina and is registered to vote.
B. Sippio Burton is an adult black resident of Cumber
land County, North Carolina and is registered to vote.
C . . Joe P. -Moody is an adult black resident of Halifax
County, North Carolina and is registered to vote.
D. Fred Belfield is an adult black resident of Edge
combe County, North Carolina and is registered to vote .
• • • • • • • • • •
JA-60
6C. Maron McCullough, is an adult black resident of
Iredell County and is registered to vote and affiliated with
the Republican party.
6D. Paul B. Eaglin is an adult black resident of Cum
berland County and is registered to vote and affiliated with
the Republican party.
• • • • • • • • • •
6I. Joe B. Roberts is an adult black resident of Meck
lenburg County is registered to vote and is affiliated with
the Republican party.
B. Legislative Chronology
7. The 1981 General Assembly, pursuant to N.C.G.S.
120-11.1, convened on Wednesday, January 14, 1981.
8. On January 16, 1981, the Speaker of the North Caro
lina House of Representatives, the Honorable Liston B.
Ramsey, pursuant to Rules 26 and 27 of the Rules of the
1981 House of Representatives, General Assembly of
North Carolina, appointed the following members of the
Legislative Redistricting Committee: Representatives
Jones and Lilley, Chairmen; Representatives Bundy and
Messer, Vice Chairmen; Representatives Almond, Barnes,
Beam, Blue, Bone, Brennan, Chapin, Church, D. Clark,
Craven, Creecy, Diamont, Enloe, Bob Etheridge, Evans,
Gillam, Grady, Guy, Hackney, Hege, Hiatt, Hightower,
Holmes, J. Hunt, R . Hunter, T. Hunter, Lacey, McAlister,
Morgan, Nash, Nesbitt, Nye, Quinn, Rabon, Redding,
Rhodes, Spaulding, and Taylor.
9. Representatives Blue, Creecy and Spaulding were the
only black members of the House during the 1981 General
Assembly.
10. On January 19, 1981, the President of the North
Carolina Senate, the Honorable James C. Green, pursuant
to Rules 31 and 32 of the Rules of the 1981 Senate, Gen-
JA-61
eral Assembly of North Carolina, appointed the following
members of the Committee on Redistricting-Senate:
Senators Rauch, Chairman; Duncan, Allsbrook, Vice
Chairmen; Allred, Ballenger, Barnes, Boger, Cavanagh,
Clarke, Creech, Garrison, Gray, Hardison, Harrington,
Kincaid, Lawing, Mills, Noble, Palmer, Raynor, Royall,
Soles, Speed, Thomas of Craven, Thomas of Henderson,
Walker, Warren, and Wright. The members of the Com
mittee on Redistricting-Senate, appointed on January 19,
1981, were all white.
11. On July 2, 1981, Chapter 771 of the 1981 Session
Laws (Regular Sessions, 1981), AN ACT TO PROVIDE
FOR THE SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS OF
REDISTRICTING AC'l'S OF THE GENERAL ASSEM
BLY, was ratified in the General Assembly. (Exhibit A).
12. On July 3, 1981, Chapter 800 (House Bill 415) of
the 1981 Session Laws (Regular Sessions, 1981), which
redistricted the House of Representatives, was ratified
in the General Assembly. (Exhibit B). The Legislative
Services Office prepared a map indicating districts of and
computer statistics analyzing the districts created by that
Chapter (Exhibit C, D, respectively).
13. On J"uly 3, 1981, Chapter 821 (Senate Bill 313) of
the 1981 Session Laws (Regular Sessions, 1981) which
redistricted the Senate was ratified in the General Assem
bly. (Attachment E). The Legislative Services Office pre
pared a map indicating and computer statistics analyzing
the districts created by that Chapter. (Exhibits F, G
respectively).
14. On September 16, 1981 Gingles v. Edmisten, 81-803-
CIV-5, was :filed alleging, inter alia that the apportion
ments of the North Carolina House of Representatives
and Senate violated the one person one vote requirement
of the equal protection clause, illegally and unconstitu
tionally diluted the voting strength of black citizens, and
JA-62
that Article II, §~ 3(3) and 5(3) of the North Carolina
Constitution were being enforced without having been
pre-cleared pursuant to § 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
15. On September 23, 1981, North Carolina made its
initial submission of Article II, § 3(3) and ~ 5(3) of the
North Carolina Constitution to the United States Depart
ment of Justice pursuant to~ 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
This submission was completed on October 1, 1981.
16. On October 10, 1981, the President Pro Tempore
of the Senate appointed Senator Frye of Guilford County
to the Committee on Redistricting-Senate in response to
a request by Senator Gray of Guilford County that she
be removed from the Committee.
17. Senator Frye was the only black member of the
Senate during the 1981 General Assembly.
18. On October 29, 1983, the General Assembly met
again to consider redistricting pursuant to Resolutions 66
and 80 of the 1981 Session Laws (Regular Sessions, 1981).
(Exhibits H, I).
19. On October 30, 1981, Chapter 1130 (House Bill1428)
of the 1981 Session Laws (Regular Sessions, 1981), AN
ACT TO APPORTION THE DISTRICTS OF THE
NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTA
TIVES, was ratified in the General Assembly (Exhibit J).
The Legislative Services Office prepared a map indicating
and computer statistics analyzing the districts created by
that Chapter. (Exhibits K, L respectively). The General
Assembly did not enact a new apportionment of the
Senate.
20. The Legislative Services Office did not systematical
ly analyze proposed reapportionment plans using race as
a factor until after the October, 1981 legislative sessions.
21. On November 25, 1981, Pugh v. Hunt, 81-1066-CIV-5
was filed in the Superior Court for Iredelle County, North
JA-63
Carolina. It was subsequently removed to this Court. It
alleged, inter alia that the apportionments of the North
Carolina House of Representatives and the North Caro
lina Senate violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the
United States Constitution.
22. By letter of November 30, 1981, the United States
Attorney General interposed objection pursuant to ~ 5 of
the Voting Rights Act to two amendments to the Con
stitution of North Carolina, Article II, ~ 3(3) and ~ 5(3).
(Exhibit M).
23. By letter of December 7, 1981, the United States
Attorney General interposed an objection pursuant to ~ 5
of the Voting Rights Act to Chapter 894 (S.B. 87,) and
Chapter 821 (S.B. 313), North Carolina's reapportion
ment plans for the State Senate and the United States
Congre.ss. (Exhibit N).
24. The Legislative Services Office, in analyzing plans
proposed or adopted after December, 1981, used the popu
lation statistics indicated in Exhibit N-1.
25. By letter of January 20, 1982, the United States
Attorney General interposed an objection pursuant to ~ 5
of the Voting Rights Act to Chapter 1130 (H.B. 1428,),
North Carolina's reapportionment plan for the State
House of Representatives. (Exhibit 0).
26. On January 28, 1982, the Senate Committee on Re
districting-Senate and the House Redistricting Subcom
mittee met to be briefed by the State's retained counsel.
At a joint meeting the Senate Committee and the House
Subcommittee adopted the redistricting criteria in Ex
hibit 0-1. On February 2, the full House Committee on
Legislative Redistricting adopted the amended redistrict
ing criteria contained in Exhibit 0-2.
27. On February 3, 1982, Representative Joe Hege pre
sented to the House Committee on Legislative Redistrict-
JA-64
ing a map illustrating the Republican House single-mem
ber redistricting plan, attached as the final document in
the minutes and transcripts of the House Legislative
Redistricting Committee, entitled ''House Legislative Re
districting, February Session-1982" (Exhibit LLL).
The plan contained all single member house districts of
contiguous territory and had, according to statistics sup
plied by Mr. Hege, a population deviation of less than.
plus or minus 5'%. The apportionment included majority
black single member districts in Mecklenburg, Forsyth,
Guilford, Cumberland, Wake, Durham, and Northeast
North Carolina.
28. On February 4, 1982, the Congressional redistricting
committees of the House and Senate, the Senate Com
mittee on Redistricting-Senate and the House Committee
on Legislative Redistricting held a joint public hearing
in the State Legislative Building in Raleigh. Notices of
the hearing were published in the Asheville Citizen and
Asheville Times, Durham Mornimg Herald, the Raleigh
News and Observer, and the Charlotte Observer, on J anu
ary 31, February 1, 2, 3, and 4, 1982, with the exception
of the Asheville Citizen and Asheville Times, which did
not publish on January 31, 1982. Said notice, in its en
tirety, is reflected by Exhibit P. In addition, those groups
listed in Exhibits Q and Q-1 were provided with press
releases and supporting information in the manner indi
cated. (Exhibits Q, Q-1) . A transcript of this public hear
ing is attached as Exhibit AAA.
29. On February 4, 1982, at the public hearing, the
North Carolina Black Lawyers Association submitted a
proposed apportionment of the North Carolina Senate
which contained three majority black single-member dis
tricts. Each of the single-member districts in the appor
tionment plan contained contiguous territory and had a
population deviation of less than plus or minus 5%. The
statistics used to produce this plan were obtained from
JA-65
the 1980 census and are accurate. This apportionment
included a Senate district wholly within Mecklenburg
County which is 62.3% black and a Senate district in
northeast North Carolina which is 60.7% black.
30. At the public hearing on February 4, 1982 the North
Carolina Black Lawyers Association presented a proposed
apportionment of the North Carolina House of Repre
sentatives which contained ten majority black single-mem
ber districts. This map included a single-member district
wholly within Wake County which is 67% black, a single
member district wholly within Durham County which is
71.9% black, a single-member district wholly within For
syth County which 81.6% black, a single-member district
in Mecklenburg County which is 69.9% black, and an
additional single-member district in Mecklenburg County
which is 56.8% black. The single-member districts in this
plan all contain contiguous territory, have less than plus
or minus 5% population deviation and are statistically
accurate based on the 1980 census.
31. The House and Senate proposals of the North Caro
lina Black Lawyers Association are attached as the final
two documents in the "N. C. General Assembly Extra
Session 1982, Redistricting Public Hearings of 02-04-82,
Minutes, Transcripts, and Attachments" (Exhibit AAA).
32. On February 9, 1982, the North Carolina General
Assembly convened in an extra session for the purpose
of enacting new apportionment plans for the State House
of Representatives, State Senate, and United States Con
gress pursuant to a proclamation of the Governor. (Ex
hibit Q-2).
33. On February 11, 1982, Chapter 4 (House Bill 1) of
the Session Laws of the First Extra Session 1982, which
again redistricted the House of Representatives was rati
fied in the General Assembly. (Exhibit R). The Legis
lative Services Office prepared a map and computer statis-
JA-66
tics analyzing the districts created by this Chapter. (Ex
hibits S, T respectively).
34. On February 11, 1982, Chapter 5 (Senate Bill 1) of
the Session Laws of the First Extra Session, 1982, which
again redistricted the Senate was ratified in the General
Assembly on February 11, 1982. (Exhibit U). The Legis
lative Services Office prepared a map indicating and com
puter statistics analyzing the districts created by this
Chapter. (Exhibits V, W respectively).
35. In addition, by Chapter 7 of the Session Laws of
the First Extra Session, the General Assembly enacted a
new apportionment of North Carolina's Congressional
districts. This plan was pre-cleared by the United States
Attorney General, and by Order dated April 27, 1982, the
claims in Gingles v. Edmisten, regarding the Congres
sional plans were voluntarily dismissed.
36. In addition to enacting its State legislative redis
tricting plans, the General Assembly ratified on February
11, 1982, Chapter 3 of the Session Laws of the First
Extra Session, 1982 providing, among other matters, for
alternative dates for North Carolina's filing period and
primaries. (Exhibit X).
37. By letter of April 19, 1982, the United States At
torney General interposed an objection to the House and
Senate Redistricting Plans, Chapters 4 and 5 of the Ses
sion Laws of the First Extra Session, 1982, and deferred
consideration of Chapter 3. (Exhibit Y). On April 26,
1982, the General Assembly reconvened for the Second
Extra Session.
38. On April 26, 1982, Representative Joe Hege filed
House Bill 7 which would create a single-member redis
tricting plan for the House. The bill was drawn by the
·Legislative Services Office's Bill Drafting Division using
a computer print-out furnished by Representative Hege
(Exhibit Y-1, Y-2, respectively). House Bill 7 received its
JA-67
:first reading on April 27, 1982, and was referred to the
House Committee on Legislative Redistricting.
39. On April 27, 1982, Senator Ballenger offered to the
Committee on Redistricting-Senate a map with accom
panying statistics outlining a single-member Senate dis
trict plan and by substitute motion, moved its adoption.
That motion was tabled. (Exhibits Y-3, Y-2).
40. On April 27, 1982, Senators Ballenger and Wright
:filed Senate Bill 2 which would create a -single-member
redistricting plan for the Senate. As the General Assem
bly adjourned that day the bill never received its first
reading. The bill was prepared by the Legislative Services
Office's Bill Drafting Division from a computer print-out
furnished by Senator Ballenger (Exhibits Y-3, Y-2, re
spectively).
41. The plans referred to in Paragraphs 32, 33 and 34
all contain contiguous territory, have less than plus or
minus 5% population deviation and are statistically
accurate.
42. Chapter 1 (House Bill 1) of the Session Laws of the
Second Extra Session, 1982, which redrew House Districts
17 and 18, was ratified in the General Assembly on April
27, 1982. (Exhibit Z). The Legislative Services Office
produced a map indicating and computer statistics analyz
ing the new plan. (Exhibits AA, and BB).
43. Chapter 2 (Senate Bill 1) of the Session Laws of
the Second Extra Session, 1982, which redrew Senate
Districts 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, and 11, was ratified in the
General Assembly on April 27, 1982. (Exhibit CC). The
Legislative Services Office produced a map indicating and
computer statistics analyzing the new plan. (Exhibits DD,
EE respectively).
44. On April 27, 1982, Chapter 3 (House Bill 2) of the
Session Laws of the Second Extra Session, 1982, which
provided, among other matters, for alternative dates for
JA-68
North Carolin~ 's filing period and primaries. (Exhibit
FF).
45. By letter of April 30, 1982, the United States At
torney General indicated that he would not interpose an
objection to Chapters 1 and 2 of the Session Laws of the
Second Extra Session, 1982, (the amended House and
Senate redistri,cting plans) but interposed an objection to
the candidate filing period and primary election date con
tained in Chapter 3 of said Session Laws. (Exhibit GG.)
The State of North Carolina, through the North Carolina
State Board of Elections, responded to the objection of
the United States Attorney General on May 6, 1982, by
revising the 1982 primary election timetable for the State
of North Carolina, providing inter alia, that the date of
the primary elections for 1982 be changed from June 10,
1982, to June 29, 1982, as is exhibited by the letter and
attachments to Mr. William Bradford Reynolds from Mr.
Alex K. Brock of the State Board of Elections. (Exhibit
HH).
46. By letter of May 20, 1982, the Office of the Attorney
General indicated it would not interpose an objection to
the revised 1982 primary election timetable for 1982 as
amended by the State Board of Elections. (Attachment
II) .
47. In accordance with the revised timetable and with
Chapters 2 and 3 of the Sessions Laws of the Second
Extra Session, Primary and General Elections were held
for the North Carolina General Assembly in 1982.
48. Exhibits AAA-UUU are accurate copies of the
Journals of the North Carolina House of Representatives
of the North Carolina Senate, the minutes of the House
and Senate Redistricting Committees and of the tran
scripts of committee meetings and floor debates relating
to redistricting. The transcripts are accurate transcrip
tions of those portions of the meetings which they pur
port to transcribe.
JA-69
AAA - NO General Assembly-Extra Session 1982-
Redistricting . Public Hearings of February 4,
1982-Minutes, Transcripts and Attachments
BBB - NO General Assembly-First Extra Session 1982
-House and Senate Journals
CCC - 1981 Senate Redistricting-Munutes of Senate
Redistricting Committee Meetings and Other
Supplementary Materials
DDD - NO Senate Legislative Redistricting- First Ex
tra Session 1982 (February) Senator Marshall A.
Rauch, Chairman
EEE - Verbatim Transcript of the Senate of the Gen
eral Assembly of the State of NO-Second Extra
Session, April 1982
FFF - 1981 General Assembly, Regular Sessions- 1981
Senate Legislative Redistricting-Committee
Meeting Transcripts
GGG - 1981 Senate Redistricting-October Special Ses
sion-Minutes and Supplementary Related Ma
terials
HHH- NO General Assembly- (Second Extra Session
1982) Bills, Amendments, Roll Calls, and Maps
ITI - Journal of the Senate of the General Assembly
of the State of NO-Second Extra Session 1982
J J J - N C General Assembly 1982-First Extra Ses
sion-Transcript of Senate Proceedings-Febru
ary 9-10-11, 1982-Floor Debate
:KKK - NO General Assembly- First Extra Session 1982
(February)-Summary of Proceedings with
Supplementary Materials (Senate)
LLL - House Legislative Redistricting, February Ses
sion-1982
JA-70
MMM- NO House of Representatives 1981-Legislative
Reapportionment History and Information
NNN - NO House Reapportionment-October 1981:
Legislative History for HB-1428
000 - House Legislative Redistricting-April Session-
1982
PPP - NO General Assembly-First Extra Session 1982.
-HB-1 (Session Laws Chapter 4): Bill Drafts,
Amendments Offered, and Roll Calls
QQQ - NO General Assembly (Second Extra Session
1982)-House Journal
RRR - 1981 General Assembly, Regular Sessions 1981-
House Legislative Redistricting Committee Meet
ing Transcripts
SSS - Volume 1 Minutes-House Legislative Redis
tricting Committee-February 2, 1982
Volume 2 Minutes-House Legislative Redis
tricting Committee-February 3, 1982
TTT - North Carolina General Assembly Second Extra
Session-1982 Senate Legislative Redistricting
Committee Meetings-Minutes and Transcripts
UUU- NO General Assembly (Second Extra Session
1982)-House Legislative Redistricting Commit
tee-Meeting Transcripts (April, 1982)
C. Other Stipulations of Fact
49. The vote abstracts, voter turnout figures, and voter
registration figures used by Bernard Grofman and Thomas
Hofeller as the basis of their analyses of or testimony
about voting patterns are accurate and genuine. Any
party or witness may refer to the information indicated
JA-71
in these documents during the course of the trial of these
actions without further foundation.
50. The following is an accurate list of the black candi
dates who filed to run in the indicated elections. All candi
dates were Democrats unless otherwise indicated. This is
not a complete list of all elections in which there were
black candidates.
A. Mecklenburg County
1978 Senate - Fred Alexander
1980 Senate- Fred Alexander
1980 House - Bertha Maxwell
1982 Senate- James Polk
1982 House - Phil Berry
James Richardson
B. Durham C ownty
1978 Senate- Alexander Barnes (Rep)
1978 House - Howard Clement
Kenneth Spaulding
1980 House --,-- Kenneth Spaulding
1982 House - Howard Clement
Kenneth Spaulding
C. Forsyth County
1978 House - Harold Kennedy
Joseph N orme
C. C. Ross
1980 Senate- Moses Small
1980 House - Annie Kennedy
Joseph Norman
Rodney Sumter
1982 House, 39th District-C. B. Houser
Annie Kennedy
1981 Winston-Salem-Winston-Salem City Council
Southeast Ward Larry Womble
JA-72
D. Wake County
1978 House - Dan Blue
1978 Sheriff- John Baker
1980 House - Dan Blue
1982 House - Dan Blue
1982 . Sheriff- John Baker
E. Nash County
1982 Congress - Mickey Michaux
1982 N.C. House - Otis Carter
1982 County Commission- Quentin Summer
Wilson County
1982 Congress - Mickey Michaux
1982 N.C. House - Otis Carter
1976 County Commission- Grover L. Jones
Edgecombe County
1982 Congress - Mickey Michaux
1982 N.C. House - Otis Carter
1982 County Commission - Naomi Green
Earl McClain
J. 0. Thorne
JA-73
51. ThEl General Assembly divided counties in the ap
portionment of the House of Representatives and of the
Senate only when necessary to bring population deviation
under plus or minus 5% or when necessary to obtain pre
clearance from the United States Department of Justice
pursuant to '§ 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as
amended.
52. From 1776 through 1981, no county was divided in
the formation of either House or Senate districts with
the exception of six and then seven borough towns which
were additional House districts from 1776 until 1835.
52A. In multimember districts there is no subdistrict or
residency requirement which requires that at-large candi
dates reside in particular geographic subdistricts.
53. From 1835 through 1981 all North Carolina House
and Senate Districts have been either single or multi
member districts consisting of an entire county of two or
more whole counties joined together.
54. On May 27, 1983, Representatives John Jordan and
Chris Barker introduced House Joint Resolution Bill1146
in the North Carolina General Assembly. That resolution
authorized the Legislative Research Commission to study
the feasibility of redistricting in 1990 so as to have single
member districts. It charged the Commission to produce a
map redistricting the Senate and House into single-mem
ber districts and to report to the 1985 General Assembly.
It was referred to the House Committee on Rules and
received an unfavorable report on June 3, 1983.
55. In February and April, 1982 the General Assembly
was aware that multi-member districts in Mecklenburg,
Forsyth, Durham, Wake, Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash
Counties would be maintained if these counties were not
divided.
56. For statistics which use white and non-white, non
white is 93% black in North Carolina.
JA-74
57. The percentage of the population and of the regis
tered voters in the following House and Senate districts
is as indicated:
House District
and Number
Percentage of
population
that is Black 1
Mecklenburg ( #36) 26.5
Forsyth ( # 39) 25.1
Durham ( #23) 36.3
Wake ( #21) 21.8
Wilson-Edgecomba-Nash ( #8) 39.5
Senate Districts
Mecklenburg-Cabarrus ( #22) 24.3
Northeast North Carolina
( #2) 55.1
Percent of
Registered Voters
that is Black
18.0 2
20.8 3
28.6 2
15.1 2
29.5 2
46.2 4
1 From Legislative Services Office, derived from 1980 Census.
2 From October 4, 1982 State Board of Elections Registration
Statistics Part II.
3 October 4, 1982 Forsyth registration minus registration for
Belews Creek, Salem Chapel #1 and Salem Chapel #2 precincts.
4 October 4, 1982 registration for whole counties from State
Board of Elections Registration Statistics Part II ; township regis
tration October 4, 1982 from Washington, Martin, Halifax, and
Edgecombe Boards of Elections.
58. A lower percentage of the black population than of
the white population is registered to vote in Mecklenburg,
Forsyth, Durham, Wake, Wilson, Edgecombe, Nash, Hali
fax, Northampton, Hertford, Gates, Martin, Bertie, Wash
ington and Chowan Counties. Specifically, the percentage
of the black and white voting age population which is
registered to vote in each of these counties is as follows:
JA-75
Percent of Voting Age Percent of Voting Age
Population Registered Population Registered
County to Vote 1970 1• 2 to Vote 1980 3
White Black White Black
Mecklenburg 66.3 40.6 68.1 43.8
Forsyth 73.0 73.6 69.7 62.8
Durham 72.0 64.0 66.1 43.3
Wake 63.7 37.2 68.3 42.3
Wilson 66.2 36.3 64.4 40.0
Edgecombe 75.4 46.0 67.3 40.7
Nash 48.2 18.4 58.1 21.3
Halifax 92.4 47.9 69.7 48.2
Northampton 107.8 80.7 74.6 61.6
Hertford 73.4 64.6 78.9 60.0
Gates 79.3 57.5 82.5 77.6
Martin 86.6 66.0 73.9 53.3
Bertie 106.2 98.3 77.0 50.1
Washington 68.2 78.1 80.1 64.3
Chowan 77.3 48.7 72.3 53.3
1 Number of whitejnon-white voters as of June 5, 1970 divided
by total white/black population 21 years old or older.
2 Beginning in the twelve-month period following the 1972 Presi
dential Election, county Boards of Elections have been required
to remove from permanent registration records the names of all
persons who have failed to vote for a period of four years. Begin
ning January 2, 1981, after the 1980 Presidential Election and
thereafter for each subsequent presidential election, county Boards
of Elections are not allowed to remove from registration records
the name of any person who voted in either one of the two most
recent presidential elections or in any other election conducted in
the period between the two presidential elections. County Boards
of Elections may also remove the names of any persons who have
either moved their residence from the county or who have died, as
indicated by Certificates of Death received from the State Depart
ment of Human Resources or cancellation notices received from
other counties and states as to residency.
3
Number of white/black registered voters as of April 8, 1980
divided by total whitejblack population 18 years old or older.
JA-76
59. The following is the percent of the population, the
voting age population and the registered voters that is
black in the indicated counties:
1980
Percent of Percent of Percent of
Population. V.AP Reg. voters
that is Black that is black that is Black
Mecklenburg 26.5 24.0 16.9
Forsyth 24.4 22.0 20.3
Durham 36.3 33.6 24.9
Wake 21.7 20.5 13.7
Wilson '36.4 32.4 23.0
Edgecombe 50.8 46.7 34.6
Nash 32.9 29.4 13.2
Halifax 47.1 44.0 35.2
Northampton 60.7 56.2 51.4
Hertford 54.8 51.1 44.3
Gates 52.6 49.4 47.8
Martin 44.5 40.6 33.1
Bertie 59.2 54.5 44.2
Washington 43.3 39.1 34.0
Chowan 41.5 38.1 31.2
60. Exhibit JJ, entitled "Vital Statistics of Counties in
North Carolina," is a compilation of registration figures
for each county as of February 9, 1982, with estimated
percentages of voting population registered figured for
white, non-white, and total voting age populations by race.
61. Exhibits KK and LL ''Registration Statistics Parts
I and II," is the .most recent statewide compilation of
voter registration figures for each county in the state by
race and party, reported as of October 4, 1982.
JA-77
62. In 1980 there were 1,319,054 black people in North
Carolina. That is 22.4% of the total population. (.Source :
1980 Census).
63. The mean income of households in 1979 was as
follows:
Black White Difference
North Carolina $13,833 $21,162 $7,329 (34.6%)
National $15,806 $24,939 $9,133 (36%)
Difference $ 1,973 $ 3,770
64. 44.7% of the households with no vehicles available
are black households. 75•% of black households and 93%
of white households have vehicles available.
65. 30.3% of black people in North Carolina live in
poverty compared to 10.0% of white people.
66. Non-white households in North Carolina are 23.0%
.of all households but are 42% of all poverty households.
(A poverty household is one in which the combined house
hold income falls below 100% of the poverty level (ad
justed by family size) established by the United States
Office of Managment and Budget.) Blacks account for
11.7% of the United States population but are 32.S% of
the United States population living in poverty.
67. In North Carolina 51% of the single parent house
holds have a black head of household.
68. Between 1970 and 1980 non-white workers consist
ently had a higher incidence of unemployment than whit~
workers. For each of these years non-whites were a higher
·percentage of claimants for unemployment benefits than
the percentage of the workforce which is non-white.
JA-78
Male Female
Male non-white F emale non-white
non-white in non-white vn
Year Claimants 1 Workforce 2 Claimants 1 Workforce 2
1970 21.0 13.3 18.6 8.5
1971 16.7 13.3 17.8 8.5
1972 17.7 13.3 19.0 8.2
1973 22.8 11.0 18.0 8.6
1974 15.9 11.0 19.0 8.6
1975 13.5 11.0 14.0 8.6
1976 17.6 11.0 13.4 8.6
1977 18.0 11.0 12.6 8.6
1978 22.3 11.2 14.1 9.0
1979 18.1 11.2 17.4 9.0
1980 17.3 11.2 16.2 9.0
1 Percent of all claimants which is non-white malejfemale.
2 Percent of all labor force which is non-white male/female
[Note: This is taken from the ESC first survey week of each year.}
69. As of June 30, 1980, the percent of North Carolina
permanent full-time employees subject to the State Per
sonnel Act, excluding universities, that fall in each salary
range was as follows :
Salary Range
Less than $8,000
$8,000-$8,999
$9,000-$9,999
$10,000-$10,999
$11,000-$11,999
$12,000-$12,999
$13,000-$14,999
$15,000-$16,999
$17,000-$19,999
$20,000-$23,999
$24,000+
JA-79
Percent of
White Employees
2.06
5.09
7.88
12.15
11.21
11.21
14.59
8.36
12.02
7.54
7.88
Percent of
Black Employees
7.41
12.40
14.33
20.05
15.82
10.72
7.88
3.55
4.73
1.93
1.17
Median salaries: White $13,053
Black $10,790
A higher percent of black employees than of white employees
is employed at every salary level below $12,000 and a higher
percent of white employees than of black employees is em
ployed at every salary level above $12,000.
70. As of December 31, 1980, permanent full-time North
Carolina State Government employees covered by the
State Personnel Act, excluding university system person
nel, numbered 50,012, 78% of whom were white, 21'%
black, and 1% of other ethnic/ racial origins. One half of
employees earn below the following amounts annually:
male
female
White
13000
12000
Black
11000
11000
Other
12000
11000
71. The following chart shows the white and black per
centage of employees of each salary grade classification
group for June 30, 1977, and December 31, 1981. These
figures include all permanent full time non-university em-
JA-80
ployees subject to the State Personnel Act. In the 83-87
category, others (non-white, non-blacks) decreased in both
number and percentage. In the 93+ category there were
18 employees on June 30, 1977, and 12 on December 31,
1981.
White Black
Salary Grade 6/30/77 12/31/81 6j30j77 12/31/81
48-52 39.1 37.5 60.4 62.1
53-57 73.6 65.9 25.8 32.7
58.62 85.9 77.1 13.5 21.9
63-67 90.6 88.3 8.8 10.7
68-72 93.7 90.0 5.6 9.0
73-77 95.6 93.2 3.9 5.9
78-82 97.2 94.9 2.5 4.6
83-87 79.3 90.0 6.7 7.0
88-92 83.4 86.8 0.8 2.7
93+ 100.0 100.0 0.0 0.0
72. For the period from December 31, 1978, to June 20,
1980, black permanent full-time non-University State Em
ployees subject to the State Personnel Act showed the
following percentage increases in the following categories
as exemplified by the table below :
Officials and Administrators
Skilled Craft
Office and Clerical
Protective Service
Professional
Paraprofessional
Service & Maintenance
Percentage
Increase
+14.5%
+14.0%
+11.7%
+11.1%
+10.0%
+11.0%
+ 2.3%
Percent Black
12/31/78-6/30/80
5.3% to 6.2%
8.6% to 10%
12.8% to 14.5%
17.6% to 19.8%
10.6% to 11.5%
34.0% to 38.2%
42.9% to 43.9%
73. Infant mortality rates in North Carolina are higher
for non-whites than for whites. For the five year period
JA-81
from 1976-1980 the infant mortality rate by race was as
follows:
White
Non-white
F'etal 1
9.4
16.9
N eonatal 2 Post N eonatal 3
9.5
15.8
3.3
7.5
·
1 The fetal death rate is the number of nonabortion fetal deaths
after 20 weeks gestation per 1000 live births plus fetal deaths.
2 The neonatal death rate is the number of deaths from birth to
28 days per 1000 live births.
3 The post neonatal death rate is the number of deaths from 29
days to 1 year per J 000 live births that attained the age of 29 days.
This is a four year rather than a five year measure.
(Source: "Maternal and Child Care Statistics in North Carolina
over the last Decade, "North Carolina Department of Human
Resources, Spring 1981.)
74. The birth weight and infant death rate by race for
the following North Carolina counties IS as indicated
below.
1975-1979 Five Year Rate
Percent Post
Above 2501g t Neonatal 3 Neonatal"
at birth F etal Death 2 Death Death
White Non·W White Non·W White Non·W White Non·W
Mecklenburg 94.1 86.6 7.9 15.7 9.0 19.5 3.0 5.9
Forsyth 94.0 81.2 9.0 15.0 9.7 16.2 2.5 4.6
Durham 94.4 86.6 6.7 17.8 7.2 14.5 2.1 6.8
Wake 94.1 86.7 9.1 15.5 8.0 15.9 2.8 6.8
Wilson 94.4 86.2 8.8 22.3 11.4 16.3 3.2 8.8
Edgecombe 93.5 86.9 7.7 13.5 7.7 14.8 2.8 6.9
Nash 94.8 89.2 11.0 17.8 6.6 18.1 2.8 9.1
1 It is considered healthy for a baby to weigh more than 2501
grams at birth. 2501 grams is 5.5 lbs.
JA-82
2 The fetal death rate includes deaths after 20 weeks of gestation
excluding abortions.
3 The neonatal death rate includes deaths from birth to 28 days.
• The post-neonatal death rate includes deaths from 29 days to
one year.
(Source : ''Maternal and Child Health Statistics, ''North Caro
lina Department of Human Resources, 1979.
75. The death rate for non-whites in North Carolina is
higher than the death rate 1 for whites.2 For example, the
age-adjusted mortality rate for 1978 was:
male
female
White
916.9
453.7
1 Deaths per 100,000 population adjusted for age.
Non-wMte
1192.5
621.8
2 North Carolina mortality rates for years during the decade
from 1970 to 1980 are not completely accurate. Because minorit ies
were undereounted in North Carolina in the 1970 census, projec
tions for minority populations for years between 1970 and 1980
were based on an inaccurately low estimate of the minority popu
lation and resulted in high estimate of the death rate. For example,
death rate figures for 1980 based on the 1980 census are 1.6% lower
for whites and 6.2% lower for blacks than death rates for 1980
based on projections from the 1970 census.
76. From 1978 to 1979 the North Carolina death rate
decreased by five percent for non-white females, by four
percent for non-white males, by one percent for white
males, and by one percent for white females.
77. The following table shows life expectency in 1973
and 1974.
JA-83
Selected Life Table Values, by Age, Color and Sex:
North Carolina, 1973 and 197 4
White Non-White
Value Total Male Female Male Female
Expectation of
Life:
at Birth
1973 68.90 66.68 74.70 59.06 67.56
1974 69.87 67.54 75.44 60.13 69.04
At Age 1
1973 69.32 66.91 74.88 ·59.86 68.32
1974 70.16 67.77 75.40 60.74 69.59
At Age 25
1973 46.64 44.37 51.67 37.92 45.43
1974 47.30 44.99 52.14 38.48 46.67
At Age 65
1973 13.95 12.32 15.88 11.61 13.95
1974 14.23 12.56 16.07 11.89 14.49
Percent Surviving
from Birth:
To Age 1
1973 97.97 98.19 98.44 97.04 97.45
1974 98.19 98.20 98.75 97.38 97.79
To Age 25
1973 95.69 95.49 97.21 92.79 95.56
1974 96.21 95.99 97.59 93.74 95.96
To Age 65
1973 68.61 63.17 82.03 44.99 65.05
1974 70.51 65.13 83.35 46.16 68.46
Median Age
At Death:
1973
1974
73.52
74.40
JA-84
70.35
71.03
79.92
80.34
62.58
63.17
72.01
73.51
Note: North Carolina mortality rates for years during the decade
from 1970 to 198{) are not completely accurate. Because mi
norities were undercounted in North Carolina in the 1970
census, projections for minority populations for years be
tween 1970 and 1980 were based on an inaccurately low
estimate of the minority population and resulted in high
estimate of the death rate. For example, death rates for
1980 based on projections from the 1970 census.
78. The following percentage of black and white stu
dents failed the North Carolina Competency Test in the
fall of 1980, 1981, and 1982 (by school district). This
chart reflects only the first time each student took the
test; those who failed were given the opportunity to take
the test again later.
1980 1981 1982
B1 w B w B w B w B w B w
Rdg Rdg Math Math Rdg Rdg Math Math Rdg Rdg Math Math
Mecklenburg 21% 2% 25% 3% 19% 2% 20% 3% 19% 2% 18% 3%
Forsyth 16% 2% 22% 3% 16% 2% 19% 3% 14% 2% 19% 4%
Durham Co. 16% 1% 21% 3% 15% 1% 18% 3% 10% 2% 18% 3%
Durham City 8% 7% 13% 8% 13% 0% 23% 4% . 9% 4% 16% 2%
Wake 20% 2% 17% 3% 18% 2% 24% 2% 19% 1% 28% 3%
Wilson 25% 2% 30% 5% 25% 2% 27% 5% 15% 2% 23% 5%
Edgecombe 22% 4% 25% 7% 28% 3% 28% 7% 20% 3% 19% 5%
Tarboro City 25% 2% 38% 2% 17% 0% 19% 3% 20% 2% 26% 3%
Nash 18% 1% 22% 5% 22% 1% 28% 5% 16% 2% 18% 3% ~
Rocky Mount tf'"
City 13% 0% 12% 1% 15% 2% 14% 3% 10% 1% 15% 3% 00
Q1
Halifax Co. 21% 4% 30% 0% 27% 9% 27% 10% 16% 5% 15% 5%
Roanoke
Rapids 0% 1% 13% 1% 13% 3% 12% 3% 18% 2% 18% 2%
Weldon 25% 12% 33% 12% 14% 0% 20% 9% 9% 8% 34% 15%
Northampton 16% 0% 25% 6% 20% 5% 28% 6% 20% 3% 25% 2%
Hertford 20% 2% 22% 5% 19% 1% 17% 6% 17% 3% 17% 1%
Gates 29% 0% 25% 0% 10% 0% 14% 0% 8% 0% 11% 0%
Martin 24% 2% 26% 3% 22% 3% 24% 6% 16% 3% 23% 6%
Bertie 25% 8% 31% 9% 24% 8% 23% 8% 19% 6% 14% 6%
Washington 25% 0% 39% 3% 23% 11% 30% 5% 20% 4% 24% 10%
Chowan 18% 2% 25% 4% 31% 6% 28% 4% 18% 1% 20% 4%
1 B=Black; W=White; Rdg=Reading.
JA-86
79. The following table reflects the gains in reading for
North Carolina students between 1977 and 1982 based on
the annual testing program as shown for black students
and for all North Carolina students.
North Carolina Average Scale Scores
Grade 3-5.1% gain over 1977-1982, from 391 to 411
Grade 6-4.7% gain over 1977-1982, from 489 to 512
Grade 9-3.0% gain over 1977-1982, from 562 to 579
Black North Carolina Students' Average
Grade 3-7.7% gain over 1977-1982, from 362 to 390
Grade 6-6.9% gain over 1977-1982, from 448 to 479
Grade 9-4.7% gain over 1977-1982, from 507 to 531
80. In 1980 76% of the high school seniors who were
awarded certificates instead of diplomas were black. (A
.certificate means the student completed all requirements
for graduation but did not pass both parts of the com
petency test.) There were a total of 1,193 students awarded
certificates: 984 black, 288 white; and 21 others. This
number represents 1.82% of all high school seniors who
neither withdrew nor were retained. (The racial composi
tion and number of seniors who withdrew or were retained
is not available.)
Of those receiving certificates, some were handicapped.
The type of handicap by ethnic origin is as follows:
JA-87
Ethnic G·roup
Type of Handicap Black White Other
% % %
Not handicapped 314 24.3 61 4.7 5 .3
Multiple handicapped 12 .9 12 .9 2 .2
Educable mentally
handicapped 612 47.3 191 14.8 7 .5
Hearing impaired 1
Visually impaired 1
Learning disabled 28 2.2 16 1.2
Other handicap 18 1.4 6 .5 7 .5
76.1% 22.3% 1.6%
81. Black adults have fewer years of education than do
white adults. The following chart shows the percent of
the black/white adults 25 years old and over by the
number of years of education completed.
Elementary (0-8 yrs.)
High School (1-3 yrs.)
High School ( 4 yrs.)
College ( 1-3 yrs.)
College ( 4 or more yrs.)
Black
34.6%
22.4%
25.7%
10.0%
7.3%
White
22.0%
20.0%
28.4%
14.7%
14.6%
82. Between 1970 and 1980, the percentage of black
adults 25 years of age or older, who had completed at
least four years of high school or education beyond high
school increased from 22.9% to 43%, an increase of
87.8%. The increase in white adults with at least four
years of high school or education beyond high school,
during the period from 1970 to 1980, was from 42.2%
to 57.7%, a 36.7% increase.
83. A higher percent of black households in North Caro
lina rent their homes and live in substandard or over
crowded housing than of white households. The following
JA-88
chart shows the percent of each race which falls in each
category according to the North Carolina Citizen's Survey
(1979).3
Percent Percent
Percent Percent Over- Inadequate
Buying Renting crowded 1 Plumbing 2
White 80.8 4 16.8 2.4 0.7
Black 55.0" 41.5 12.0 8.5
Other 71.4 23.8 14.3 9.6
Whole
State 75.6 21.7 4.4 2.2
1 Overcrowding is defined as more than one person per room.
2 Inadequate plumbing is defined as no plumbing or lacking at
least one of hot and cold piped water, flush toilet, and bathtub or
shower.
3 Between 1970 and 1980 according to census figures, the per
centage of blacks in owner occupied housing units increased from
45.5% to 50.9%, an increase of over 5% of the black population
and an increase of more than 10% above the proportion in owner
cccupied housing units in 1970. During this same period, whites in
owner occupied housing units increased from 70.0% to 72.8%, an
increase of 2.8% of the white population and an increase of 4%
of the proportion in owner occupied housing in 1970.
4 The figures in the 1979 North Carolina Citizen 's Survey show
a higher percentage of whites and blacks in owner-occupied hous
ing than the 1979 figures from the 1980 Census. In the Citizen's
Survey, 25.5% of the respondents were in the 18-29 age group
compared to 32% estimated in that age group by the Division of
State Budget and Management and 31.4% estimated by the March
1979 Current Population Survey. Of 1,389 respondents to the
Citizens Survey, the raw figures show between 1,103 and 1,105
whites, and 250 to 279 non-whites answering the housing questions.
84. In the Spring of 1981, the North Carolina Housing
Finance Agency, the United States Secretary of Housing
JA-89
and Urban Development, and the United States Secretary
of the Treasury identified 24 urban census tracts which
were eligible for loans under the Mortgage Subsidy Bond
Tax Act. The criterian is that 70% or more of the families
have income which are 80% or less of the statewide
median family income. Of the 48,562 people living in these
census tracts 39,369 (81%) were black compared to 8,814
(18%) white and 174 (.6%) indian. The tracts eligible for
targetting are as follows:
Table 10
NORTH CAROLINA CENSUS TRACTS ELIGIBLE FOR TARGETING
County No. Tract County 1980 White Black American
Total Pop. Indian
21 2.00 Buncombe 2173 557 1608 7
51 1.00 Cumberland 1005 441 523 34
51 2.00 Cumberland 2787 487 2249 48
51 3.00 Cumberland 1482 449 958 0
51 13.00 Cumberland 2269 77 2186 2
63 12.01 Durham 864 0 859 0
63 12.02 Durham 976 1 975 0
65 201.00 Edgecombe 401 34 367 0
67 6.00 Forsyth 2718 23 2689 4
67 8.02 Forsyth 3065 710 2309 17
81 108.01 Guilford 703 459 221 14
119 4.00 Mecklenburg 623 338 281 3
119 6.00 Mecklenburg 1901 66 1825 3
119 7.00 Mecklenburg 757 90 665 0
119 8.00 Mecklenburg 3346 95 3246 0
119 37.00 Mecklenburg 2562 6 2547 0
119 49.00 Mecklenburg 215 0 215 0
129 111.00 New Hanover 3755 132 3607 12
129 113.00 New Hanover 1381 1024 351 5
129 114.00 New Hanover 1675 5 1665 4
189 9.00 Wake 4033 118 3904 5
191 10.00 Wanye 3007 2658 337 4
191 17.00 Wanne 567 271 268 1
195 8.00 Wilson 6297 773 5514 4
24 Census Tracts 48562 8814 39369 174
JA-90
85. In Lassiter v. Northampton County Board of Elec
tions, 360 U.S. 45 (1959) , the United States Supreme
Court affirmed the decision of the North Carolina Su
preme Court which upheld the use of the literacy require
ment for voting in North Carolina. In Bazemore v. Bertie
County Board of Elections, 254 N.C. 398 (1961), the North
Carolina Supreme Court struck down the practice of re
quiring registrants to write the North Carolina Constitu
tion from dictation but upheld the requirement of ability
to read and write the North Carolina Constitution to be
administered to all applicants of uncertain ability. Use
of the literacy requirement in North Carolina did not
totally cease until1970.
86. In 1970, a referendum was submitted to the voters
of North Carolina to amend the constitution of North
Carolina to delete the literacy requirement for voting.
Of the proposed constitutional amendments before the
voters at that time, the amendment to delete the literacy
requirement was the only one defeated. The amendment
was defeated in each of the following counties: Mecklen
burg, Forsyth, Durham, Wake, Wilson, Edgecombe, Nash,
Halifax, Northampton, Hertford, Gates, Martin, Bertie
and Washington. The literacy requirement is currently
N.C.G.S. '§ 163-58 and Article VI ~ 3 of the North Caro
lina Constitution but is not currently enforced.
87. N.C.G.S. ~ 163-67{a) provides that "No person shall
be registered to vote without first making a written, sworn
and signed application to register upon the form pre
scribed by the State Board of Elections. If the applicant
cannot write because of physical disability, his name shall
be written on the application for him by the election offi
cial to whom he makes application, but the specific reason
for the applicant's failure to sign shall be clearly stated
upon the face of his application."
88. Since 1915 North Carolina has had a majority vote
requirement for party primaries. The first majority vote
JA-91
requirement was enacted at the same time as the initial
enactment of the primary election on method of nomination
of candidates. It currently is contained in N.C.G.S. <§ 163-
111 and reads as follows :
(a) Nomination De-termined by Majority; Definition
of Majority.-Except as otherwise provided in this
section, nominations in primary elections shall be de
termined by a majority of the votes cast. A majority
within the meaning of this sectioon shall be deter
mined as follows:
{1) If a nominee for a single office is to be selected,
and there is more than dividing the total vote
cast for all aspirants by two. Any excess of
the sum so ascertained shall be a majority and
the aspirant who obtains a majority shall be
declared the nominee.
(2) If nominees for two or more offices ( constitut
ing a group) are to be selected, and there are
more persons seeking nomination than there
are offices, the majority shall be ascertained by
dividing the total vote cast for all aspirants
by the number of positions to be filled, and by
dividing the result by two. Any excess of the
sum so ascertained shall be a majority, and
the aspirant who obtains a majority shall be
declared the nominee.
(b) Right to Demand Second Primary.-If an in
sufficient number of aspirants receive a majority of
the votes cast for a given office or group of offices
in a primary, a second primary, subject to the condi
tions specified in this section, shall be held:
{1) If a nominee for a single office is to be selected
and no aspirant receives a majority of the votes
cast, the aspirant receiving the highest number
JA-92
of votes shall be declared nominated by the
appropriate board of elections unless the aspir
ant receiving the second highest number of
votes shall request a second primary in accord
ance with the provisions of subsection (c) of
this section. In the second primary only the
two aspirants who received the highest and
next highest number of votes shall be voted for.
(2) If nominees for two or more offices ( constitut
ing a group) are to be selected and aspirants
for some or all of the positions within the
group do not receive a majority of the votes,
those candidates equal in number to the posi
tions remaining to be filled and having the high
est number of votes shall be declared the nomi
nees unless some one or all of ·the aspirants
equal in number to the positions remaining to
be filled and having the second highest number
of votes shall request a second primary in ac
cordance with the provisions of subsection (c)
of this section. In the second primary to select
nominees for the positions in the group remain
ing to be filled, the names of all those candi
dates receiving the highest number of votes
and all those receiving the second highest num
ber of votes and demanding a second primary
shall be printed on the ballot.
89. North Carolina has never had a majority-vote re
quirement for general elections.
90. In 1983, Representative Kenneth Spaulding, black,
introduced legislation, HB 171, to reduce the majority vote
requirement to 40% for primaries for the U.S. Senate,
congressional seats, state-wide offices, the General Assem
bly and judgeships. This bill was defeated in the House
Election Laws Committee. Later in the 1983 Session, after
JA-93
the defeat of HB 171, Representative Spaulding intro
duced HB 536 to reduce the majority vote requirement to
41% for primaries as long as the leading candidate ob
tained at least 3% more of the votes than the next highest
votegetter. This bill was defeated in the House Election
Laws Committee.
91. North Carolina enacted an anti-single shot voting
law for local elections in specified counties and municipal
ities in 1955. It was enforced until it was declared uncon
stitutional in 1972 in Dunston v. Scott, 336 F.Supp. 206
(EDNC 1972). It has not been enforced since 1972. At
least since 1915, North Carolina has not had an anti
single shot provision for nomination or election of can
didates for the North Carolina General Assembly.
92. North Carolina enacted a numbered seat require
ment for specified legislative multi-member districts in
1967. The provision was modified and re-enacted when the
General Assembly was reapportioned in 1971. It was de
clared unconstitutional in 1972 in Dunston v. Scott, 336
F.Supp 206 (EDNC 1972), primarily on the ground that
it did not apply statewide. Numbered seat requirements
prevent single shot voting.
q3. North Carolina has not had a numbered seat plan
for election of legislators since 1972.
94. At least since 1950, North Carolina has not had
any statutory or regulatory provisions for slating of
candidates in any county or district with any significant
concentration of minority votes. (There have, during this
period, been some provisions for nomination by conven
tion from some western counties with a very low per
centage of minority votes.)
95. By district, the following number of black members
have served in the General Assembly:
JA-94
District (Number
of S eats) 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83
Mecklenburg House ( 8) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Mecklenburg/ Cabarrus
Senate (4) 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
Forsyth House (5) 0 0 0 1 1 I• 0 2
Forsyth Senate (2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Durham House (3) 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1
Durham Senate (2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Wake House (6) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Wake Senate (3) 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
Wilson/Edgecombe/Nash
House ( 4) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Senators from counties
in Senate District #2 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Representatives from
counties in Senate
District #2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2••
• Appointed mid-term
••Both elected from majority black districts
96. No black person was elected to the North Carolina
General Assembly from 1900 until 1969 when one black
representative was elected. No black person was elected
to the Senate until 1975 when two black senators were
elected. The number and percent of black members serving
in the General Assembly since 1969 is as follows :
JA-95
House (Number followed Senate (Number followed
Term by Percent) by Percent
1969-70 1 (.8%) 0
1971-72 2 elected and 1 appoin-
ted mid-term (2.5%) 0
1973-74 3 (2.5%) 0
1975-76 4 (3.3%) 2 (4%)
1977-78 4 (3.3% )2 2 1 (4%)
1979-80 3 elected and 1 appoin-
ted mid-term (3.3%) 1 (2%)
1981-82 3 (3.5%) 1 (2%)
1983-84 11 (9.2%)a 1 (2%) 3
1 One black senator resigned midterm and a black person was
appointed to that seat.
2 Three blacks resigned midterm and were replaced by black
members.
3 Five representatives and the senator (or one half) were elected
from districts which are majority black. Five representatives were
elected at large from majority white multimember districts which
are not covered by § 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Prior to 1982 all
districts were majority white and all elections were at large.
97. The following are the only black people to serve in
the North Carolina General Assembly this century:
Session Name Party-County District Terms
1969-70 Henry E. FrytJ D-Guilford 26th House 1969-70
1971-72 Henry E. Frye D-Guilford 26th House 1971-72
Joy J . Johnson D-Robeson 24th House 1971-72
Alfreda Webb 1 D-Guilford 26th House 1971-72
1973.74 Henry E. Fryil D-Guilford 23rd House 1973-74
Joy J. ,Johnsoll. D-Robeson 21st House 1973-74
Henry M. ~fichaux, Jr. D-Durham 16th House 1973-74
JA-96
Session Name Party-County District Terms
1975-76 Fred D. Alexander D-Mecklenburg 22nd Senate 1975-76
John W. Winters D-Wake 14th Senate 1975-76
Richard C. Erwin D-Forsyth 29th House 1975-76
Henry E. Frye D-Guilford 23rd House 1975-76
Joy J. Johnson D-Robeson 21st House 1975-76
Henry M. Michaux, Jr. D-Durham 16th House 1975-76
1977-78 Fred D. Alexander D-Mecklenburg 22nd Senate 1977-78
John W. Winters D-Wake 14th Senate 1977•
Clarence E. Lightner l!l D-Wake 14th Senate 1977-78
Richard C. Erwin D-Forsyth 29th House 1977-78
Henry E. Fry<- D-Guilford 23rd House 1977-78
Joy J. Johnson D-Robeson 21st House 1977-78 .
Henry M. Michaux, Jr. D-Durham 16th House 1977
A.J . Howard Clements a D-Durham 16th House 1977-78
Howard L. Kennedy, Jr:' D-Forsyth 29th House 1978
Robert E. Davis 5 D-Robeson 21st House 1978
1979-80 Fred D. Alexander D-Mecklenburg 22nd Senate 1979-80
Robert E. Davis D-Robeson 21st House 1979-80
Henry E. Frye: D-Guilford 23rd House 1979-80
Kenneth B. Spauling D-Durham 16th House 1979-80
Anne B. Kennedy 6 D-Forsyth 29th House 1979-80
Rowe Motley D-Mecklenburg 22nd Senate 1980
1981-82 Henry E . Frye D-Guilford 19th Senate 1981-82
Dan T. Blue, Jr. D-Wake 15th House 1981-82
Kenneth B. Spaulding D-Durham 16th House 1981-82
C. Melvin Creecy D-Northampton 5th House 1981-82
1983- William N. Martin D-Guilford 31st Senate 1983
Frank W. Balance, Jr. D-Warren 7th House 1983
Phillip 0. Berry D-Mecklenburg 36th House 1983
Dan T. Blue, Jr. D-Wake 21st House 1983
C. Melvin Creecy D-Northampton 5th House 1983
C.R. Edwards D-Cumberland 17th House 1983
Herman C. Gist D-Guilford 26th House 1983
C.B. Hauser D-Forsyth 39th House 1983
Luther R. J eralds D-Cumberland 17th House 1983
Annie Kennedy Brown D-Forsyth 39th House 1983
Sidney A. Locks D-Robeson 16th House 1983
Kenneth B. Spaulding D-Durham 23rd House 1983
JA-97
1 Webb was appointed December 31, 1971, to replace McNeil
Smith (Guilford).
2 Lightner was appointed on August 3, 1977, to replace John W.
Winters (Wake County).
$Clement was appointed on August 3, 1977, to replace Henry M.
Michaux, Jr. (Durham County).
4 Kennedy was appointed February 9, 1978, to replace Richard
C. Erwin (Forsyth County).
5 Davis was appointed February 17, 1978, to replace Joy J. John
son (Robeson County).
6 Kennedy was appointed October 19, 1979, to replace Judson
DeRamos (Forsyth County).
7 Motley was appointed in April, 1980, to replace Fred Alexander
(Mecklenburg County).
General Note on Term of Office: Article II, Section 9 of the
Constitution of North Carolina sets the terms of office for Legisla
tors. Prior to 1983, this commenced "at the time of their election".
In 1982, a constitutional amendment was approved setting ''the first
day of January next after their election,'' as the starting date.
98. North Carolina General Statutes ~ 163-11 provides
the mechanism for filling a vacancy in the General Assem
bly. Between 1967 and 1973, the Governor was required to
appoint for the remainder of the term the person elected
by the County Executive Committee of the political party
with which the vacating member was affiliated when
elected from the county in which the vacating member
resided. In 1973, the provision was amended to provide
that, in the case of a multi-county district, the Governor
should appoint the person recommended by the district
House of Representatives or senatorial committee of the
political party with which the vacating member was affili
at~d when elected. Members of the respective district com
mittees were chosen by the county conventions or county
executive committees of each political party, with at least
JA-98
one member from each county within the district, with
votes on the committee based on population of the respec
tive counties. The provision has since been amended to
provide further adjustments in situations in which part of
a county is included within a district.
99. Of 299 clerical and non-professional workers, other
than pages appointed for one week's service, employed by
the General Assembly for the week ending February 4,
1983, 24 (8.0%) have been identified by Mr. George R.
Hall, Jr., Legislative Services Officer, to be black. (Records
are not kept on the race of employees of the General
Assembly.) Of these 24, 9 are housekeepers, 11 are secre
taries to the black Representatives and Senator, 3 are on
the Sergeant-of-Arms staff, and 1 is on the House Clerk's
staff. 170 of the 299 clerical and non-professional workers
other than pages are personal secretaries to the individual
representatives and senators. Each senator and represent
ative selects his or her personal secretary.
100. No black person has been elected to statewide office
in North Carolina or to the United States Congress from
North Carolina since 1900 with the exception of Clifford
.Johnson who was elected as a Superior Court Judge in
1978, Richard Irwin who was elected to the Court of Ap
peals in 1978, and Charles Becton who was elected to the
Court of Appeals in 1982. Each of these was elected to
fill a seat to which he had previously been appointed.
101. All judges who were appointed were appointed by
the Governor in office at that time. Special Superior Court
Judges are appointed by the Governor for four year terms
and do not run for election at any time. ·There are eight
Special Superior Court Judges. All other judicial posi
tions are normally filled by election, including Supreme
Court Justices, Judges of the Court of Appeals, Resident
Superior Court Judges, and District Court Judges, al
though initially a judge may take office by gubernatorial
appointment to fill a vacancy in office.
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1983
JA-99
102. There were no black judges in North Carolina be-
fore 1968. Since 1968 the following number and percent of
judges in North Carolina have been black:
Resident Special Court of Supreme
District Superior Superior Appeals Court
1/112 ( 0.9%) 0/41 0/8 0/12 0
1/112(0.9%) 0/41 0/8 0/12 0
2/112(1.8%) 0/41 1/8(12.5%) 0/12 0
4/118(3.4%) 0/42 1/8(12.5%) 0/12 0
5/118 ( 4.29%) 0/47 1/8(12.5%) 0/12 0
6/124( 4.8%) 1/58(1.7%) 1/8(12.5%) 1/12(8.3%) 0
9/124(7.3%) 1/58(1.7%) 0/8 1/12(8.3%) 0
11/124(9.1%) 1/58(1.7% )1 2/8(25%) 2/12(16.7%) 0
12/124(9.7%) 0/58 2/8(25%) 2/12(16.7%) 1/7(14.2%
1 Judge Johnson stopped serving as a Superior Court Judge in
1982 when appointed to the Court of Appeals. He is counted in
both places on this chart.
2 There is no official record of the number of black lawyers in
North Carolina but the North Carolina Association of Black
Lawyers has identified approximately 350. This is an underesti
mate of the actual number but is approximately 4% of all lawyers
in North Carolina.
103. Exhibit SS is a list of black candidates who ran
for the North Carolina House of Representatives or Sen
ate since 1970 with success in Primary and General Elec
tions indicated.
104. North Carolina has 100 counties. They range in
black population from 0.1% to 60.7%. Each has between
three and seven county commissioners. Exhibit MM is a
list of all known black County Commissioners in North
Carolina.
105. Exhibit · NN is a publication by the Institute of
Government of the University of North Carolina entitled
JA-100
"Form of Government of North Carolina Counties" (1981
Edition) , giving county population, form of government,
and method of selecting the governing body.
106. There are 17 municipalities with a population over
25,000 in North Carolina; 25 municipalities with a popu
lation between 10,000 and 25,000; 28 municipalities with
a population between 5,000 and 10,000; 67 municipalities
with a population between 2,500 and 5,000; 109 munici
palities with a population between 1,000 and 2,500; 112
municipalities with a population between 500 and 1,000;
and an unknown number of towns or villages with a popu
lation less than 500.
107. Exhibit 00 is a publication by the Institute of
Government of the University of North Carolina of Chapel
Hill, entitled "Form of Government of North Carolina
Cities" (1981 Edition), giving North Carolina cities by
size and providing information such as county of location,
form of government, type and selection of governing body,
for all known North Carolina municipalities with popula
tions of 500 or more.
108. Exhibit PP is a list of all known black mayors in
North Carolina as of May, 1983. Exhibit QQ is a list of
all known black city council members in North Carolina
as of May, 1983.
109. Prior to 1969 the State Board of Elections had no
black members. For each year since 1969, the North Caro
lina State Board of Elections has had at least one black
member, out of the total of five members. Since October,
1981, the State Board of Elections has had two black mem
bers. Black members serving on the Board of Elections
during the period from 1969 through the present are as
follows:
L. H. Jones, 1969-1977
Dr. Sidney Y. Barnwell, 1977-1981
JA-101
William Marsh, 1981-still serving on the Board
Elloree Erwin, 1981-still serving on the Board
(Elloree Erwin is a Republican. The rest are
Democrats.)
110. Mecklenburg County (House District #36) can be
divided into eight single-member House districts with
two and only two districts over 65% black in population.
111. At its February, 1982 Session, the North Carolina
House of Representatives had available to it the proposal
of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers, a
proposal presented by Representative Hege, (R-Davidson
County) and a staff drawn plan, each of which contained
two single-member districts in Mecklenburg County which
were majority black in population. The plan developed
by the member of the legislative staff included a district
which was 66.1% black in population and a district which
was 71.2% black in population.•
112. The Mecklenburg; Cabarrus County Senate district
(Senate District #22) can be divided into four single
member districts with one of the districts over 65% black
in population. • Only one majority black Senate district
with a black population over 65% can be drawn.
113. In February, 1982, the General Assembly had be
fore it the plan of the Black Lawyers Association and the
plan presented by Senator Ballenger (R-Catawba County)
each of which created a single-member Senate district
wholly within Mecklenburg County which was over 60%
black in population. In addition, a member of the legisla
tive staff developed a single-member district in Mecklen
burg County which was 70.77% black in population.*
-
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
have a population deviation of less than plus or minus 5%.
JA-102
114. If Mecklenburg County were divided into single
member districts, for either the House or Senate, it would
be the first division of that county for legislative districts.
115. The 1966 and 1971 plan for election of members
to the General Assembly placed Mecklenburg County in
an eight-member House of Representatives district con
sisting solely of Mecklenburg County. No black person
was elected as a Representative from that district from
1966 through 1981. During that period seven black people
ran for the House of Representatives.
116. The House district consisting of Mecklenburg Coun
ty was not changed in the 1982 apportionment. In the 1982
general election, Mecklenburg County elected eight mem
bers of the North Carolina House for 1983-1984. One of
those members, Phillip 0. Berry is black. James D. Rich
ardson, who is also black, ran but was not elected. He
came in ninth.
117. The 1971 plan for election of members to the Gen
eral Assembly placed Mecklenburg County in a four-mem
ber Senate District consisting of Mecklenburg and Cabar
rus Counties. No senator from Mecklenburg County was
black until 1975. Fred D. Alexander, who was black and
was from Mecklenburg County ran for the Senate but was
defeated in 1972. He was elected to the North Carolina
Senate from that district for the 1975-76, and 1977-78,
and 1979-80 General Assemblies. Alexander filed for re
election in 1980, but died before the primary was held.
When Alexander died, Rowe Motley, who is black, was
appointed by the Governor to fill Alexander's unexpired
term. Alexander's name could not be removed from the
primary election ballot. Alexander lost the primary.
118. Mecklenburg and Cabarrus County elected four
members to the Senate in 1982. James Polk, who is black,
ran as a Democrat but was defeated in the General Elec
tion, running fifth.
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119. Mecklenburg County has a :five-member Board of
County Commissioners, all of whom are elected-at-large.
Currently, one of those :five members, Robert L. Walton,
is black. Walton was :first elected in 1976. In 1978 he was
defeated in his bid for reelection. Walton was elected in
1980 and 1982.
120. Mecklenburg County has never had a black Sheriff.
It has a black V AP of 24'%.
121. Clifton E. Johnson, who is black, was appointed
to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 1982, where
he is currently serving. Johnson was appointed to the
District Court for Mecklenburg County in 1969 and was
subsequently elected and reelected to that position. He
was appointed by the Governor to be a Resident Superior
Court Judge from Mecklenburg County in 1978, having
been nominated by voters in the Mecklenburg County
primary and elected by statewide vote in the general
election. He ran unopposed in that election. Johnson was
the :first and only black resident Superior Court Judge
from Mecklenburg County of :five Resident Superior Court
Judges. He is the only black ever to serve as a Resident
Superior Court Judge in North Carolina. He served in
that role until his appointment to the North Carolina
Court of Appeals. At the time Johnson was appointed
to the Court of Appeals, Yvonne Mims Evans, a black
attorney, sought to :fill the Superior Court vacancy, but
the Mecklenburg County Democrat Party Executive Com
mittee selected a white nominee instead, and the white
nominee was appointed by the Governor. There are cur
rently no black Resident Superior Court Judges.
122. Mecklenburg County is a single-member Judicial
District, which elects ten District Court Judges. Currently,
two of those judges, T. Michael Todd, and Terry Sherrill
are black. Todd was appointed in 1979 and elected in
1980. He came in third in the vote of the Mecklenburg
JA-104
County Bar for nominations for the seat. He came in
behind two white candidates. Todd was, nonetheless, ap
pointed by the Governor. Terry Sherrill came in third in
the vote of the Mecklenburg County Bar behind two
white candidates and was appointed by the Governor
in 1983.
123. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education has
nine members elected at large to four-year terms on a
staggered schedule. Currently, two of those members,
Sarah Belle Stephenson and George E. Battle, Jr., are
black. Stephenson was elected in 1980 for the first time.
Battle was elected in 1978 for the first time and was re
elected in 1982. Until his resignation to run for a House
seat in the North Carolina General Assembly, Phillip 0.
Berry, who is black, was chairman of the Board, serving
along with Stephenson and Battle. Berry was first elected
to the Board in 1976 and was re-elected in 1980. Of six
or more persons seeking to replace Berry upon his resig
nation, a white person was selected by the remaining
Board members although Arthur Griffin, who is black,
sought the position.
124. Exhibit RR is an accurate list of black candidates
who have run for countywide office in Mecklenburg County
or in municipal elections for the City of Charlotte since 1964.
125. The Mecklenburg County Board of Elections has
three members. From March 2, 1970, until his death in
May of 1972, Mr. Walter B. Nivens served on that Board,
and was Chairperson from March of 1972, until his death.
Jack Martin also served on the Mecklenburg County
Board of Elections from July 13, 1972, through March of
197 4, serving as Chairperson for a part of that time.
Phyllis Lynch has served on the Mecklenburg County Board
of Elections since June of 1977 through the present and
has been Chairperson since June of 1981 through the
present. Nivens, Martin and Lynch are black and are the
JA-105
only black people who have served on the Mecklenburg
County Board of Elections.
126. The immediate Past Chairman of the Mecklenburg
County Democratic Executive Committee, for the term
from 1981 through May 1983, was Robert Davis, who is
black. Davis is the only black person ever to hold that
position.
127. The 'City of Charlotte, located in Mecklenburg
County, has a total population of 314,447 according to
1980 census figures. 31% of the population and 20.6% of
the registered voters in Charlotte are black.
128. The Charlotte City Council has eleven members,
seven elected . from Districts and four elected at large.
Of the current members, Charles Dannelly and Ronald
Leeper, both elected from majority black districts, and
Harvey Gantt, elected at large, are black. Gantt was first
elected to the City Council in 1975, and re-elected in 1977.
He was elected to the City Council again in 1981. He is
currently Mayor Pro-Tem of Charlotte. Gantt did not run
for City Council in 1979 because he ran for Mayor. He
was defeated by a white candidate in the Democratic Pri
mary. Dannelly and Leeper were both first elected in 1977
and re-elected in 1979 and 1981.
129. The portion of Forsyth County which is in House
District 39 can be divided into five single-member districts.
Either one district over 65 % black can be formed or two
majority black districts can be formed. •
130. In February, 1982, the General Assembly had avail
able to it the plan of the Black Lawyers Association and
a plan presented by Representative Hege (R-Davidson),
each of which contained a single member district wholly
-
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
lJave a population deviation of less than plus or minus 5%.
JA-106
within Forsyth County which was over 80% black in pop
ulation. In addition, a member of the legislative staff had
developed a single-member district in Forsyth County
which was 70.00% black in population. •
131. It is not possible to draw a majority-black single
member Senate district in Forsyth County.
132. In the 1982 General Elections for members of the
North Carolina General Assembly, District thirty-nine
elected five Representatives of whom two, C. B. Hauser
and Annie Brown Kennedy, are black. District 39 consists
solely of Forsyth County, not including two townships of
Forsyth County placed in District 29. ·
133. Richard C. Erwin, who is black, was elected as a
member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from Forsyth County for 1975-76 and 1977-78. He resigned
from the General Assembly upon his appointment as a
Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 1977,
to which he was elected in 1978, and where he continued
to serve until his appointment in October 1980 as a United
States District Court Judge for the Middle District of
North Carolina. Erwin, one of twelve Court of Appeals
Judges, was the first black to serve on the Court of Ap
peals when he was appointed in 1977.
134. Harold L. Kennedy, Jr., was appointed February
9, 1978, to replace Richard C. Erwin in the North Carolina
General Assembly upon Erwin's appointment to the North
Carolina Court of Appeals. Kennedy is black and is from
Forsyth County. Kennedy ran for re-election to the House
of Representatives in 1978 and lost.
135. On October 19, 1979, Annie B. Kennedy, who is
black, was appointed to replace Judson DeRamus, who
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
have a population deviation of less than plus or minus 5%.
JA-107
is white, as a member of the North Carolina House of
Representatives from Forsyth County. Kennedy ran for
re-election in 1980 and lost; she ran in 1982 and won.
136. The Forsyth County Board of County Commis
sioners has five members elected at large. Currently, that
Board has one black member, Mazie Woodruff. When
elected in 1976, she was the first black member of the
Forsyth County Board of County Commissioners. Forsyth
County elects Commissioners for four year terms. Wood
ru:ff ran again in 1980 and was defeated by a white can
didate. She ran again in 1982 and was elected.
137. Forsyth County has never had a black Sheriff.
The Voting Age Population of Forsyth County is 22%
black.
138. James Arthur Beaty, Jr., a black resident of For
syth County, was appointed by the Governor as a special
Superior Court Judge in 1981.
139. The Forsyth County School Board has eight mem
bers elected at-large. Beauford Bailey, who is black, is
currently a member of that Board. Thirty seven percent
of the student enrollment of the Forsyth County Public
Schools is black. The population of Forsyth County is
24% black.
140. In Forsyth County there has been no black chair
man of the Democratic Party.
141. The Forsyth County Board of Elections has three
members. H. B. Goodson, who is black, served on that
Board from 1973 until 1979. Joan Cardwell, who is also
black, has served on that Board from 1979 through the
present and is Secretary.
142. The City of Winston Salem, located in Forsyth
County, has a total population of 131,885 according to
1980 census figures. 40.16% of the population and 31.9%
JA-108
of the registered voters in the City of Winston Salem are
black.
143. The Winston-Salem City Council has eight mem
bers elected from wards in addition to the mayor. Cur
rently there are four black members on the Council. Larry
Little, Vivian Burke, Virginia Newell, and Larry Womble.
Little, Burke, and Newell were all elected in 1977 and
re-elected in 1981 from majority black wards. Womble was
first elected in 1981 by defeating an incumbent white
Democrat in the primary and a white Republican in the
general . election. His ward has 4,536 white registered
voters, 2,893 black registered voters, and three of other
races. Prior to 1977, C. C. Ross, Carl Russell, and Richard
Davis, all black, were elected in 1970 and 197 4 from ma
jority black wards. (The election schedule was changed
from even to odd years between the 197 4 and 1977 elec
tion.)
144. Durham County (House District #23) can be di
vided into three single member districts with one and
only one of them over 65% black in population."
145. In February, 1982, the General Assembly had be
fore it the Black Lawyers Association apportionment
which contained a single member district in Durham Coun
ty which was over 70% black in population and the pro
posal of Representative Hege, (R-Davidson County) which
contained a single-member district within Durham County
which was over 65% black in population. In addition, a
member of the legislative staff has developed a single
member district for Durham County which was 70.91%
black in population.
146. It is not possible to draw a majority-black single
member Senate district which is in Durham County or
which includes substantial parts of Durham County.
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
have a population deviation of less than plus or minus 5%.
JA-109
147. If Durham County were divided into single-mem
ber districts, for either House or Senate districts, the
division of Durham County would be the first division
of that county for legislative districts.
148. At all times since 1973, one of Durham County's
three Representatives to the North Carolina House of
Representatives has been black. Black members from Dur
ham County during that period are as follows:
1. Henry M. Michaux, J r.-elected to the 1973, 1975,
and 1977 General Assemblies (resigned in 1977
to become United States Attorney for the Middle
District of North Carolina).
2. A. J. Howard Clement, III, appointed to the ex
piration of Michaux's term in 1977 General As
sembly. He ran for re-election in 1978 and 1982
and was defeated both times in the Democratic
Primary.
3. Kenneth B. Spaulding-elected to terms in the
1979, 1981, and 1983 General Assemblies, where
he continues to serve.
149. Prior to 1973 no black person was elected to the
House of Representatives from Durham County and no
black person has ever been elected to the Senate from
Durham County.
150. The Durham County Board of County Commis
sioners has five members elected at large. No blacks served
prior to 1967. The following black people have served on
the Commission since 1969:
Asa T. Spaulding
Nathan Garrett
William V. Bell
Edna Spaulding
1969-72
1973-74
1973-current
1975-current
JA-110
William V. Bell is currently Chairman of the Durham
County Board of County Commissioners.
151. Durham County has never had a black Sheriff.
Durham County has a black Voting Age Population of
33.6%.
152. Chales L. Becton, a black resident of Durham
County, was appointed by the Governor to the North
Carolina Court of Appeals as one of its twelve judges
in 1981. He was elected by a statewide vote to that office
in 1982 to :fill the remainder of the term until 1984. Bec
ton and four other incumbents ran unopposed in the
1982 election. Ten Democrats ran for the three other seats
which were up for election in 1982 with no incumbents
runmng.
153. Durham County is a single-county judicial district
with four District Court Judges. Prior to 1977, none were
black. In 1979, the Governor appointed William G. Pear
son, who is black to be a District Court Judge. Pearson
was elected in 1978 and in 1982. In 1979 the Governor
appointed Karen Galloway, who is black, to be a District
Court Judge. Galloway was elected in 1982.
154. The Durham County Board of Elections is a three
member board. From March 2, 1970, until June of 1981,
William Marsh was a member of that board. Marsh, who
is black, served as chairman for six years ending in 1979.
Since 1981 there has not been a black member on the
Board.
•155. The Chairmanship of the Durham County Demo
cratic Party has been held by a black for approximately
ten of the last fourteen years. Persons serving in the chair
manship during that period are as follows:
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
have a population deviation of less than plus or minus 5%.
Name
* Lavonia Allison, B
Howard Clement, B
Willie Lovett, B
Barbara Smith, W
Robert Sugg, W
Jeanne Lucas, B
JA-111
Beginnilng of Term
1969 or 1970
1974
1977
1979
1981
1983
Lavonia Allison was the first black chairman of the
Durham County Democratic Party.
• B-indicates black
W -indicates white
156. The City of Durham, located in Durham County,
has a total population of 100,538 according to corrected
census figures. 47.08% of the population and 38.9% of the
registered voters in the City of Durham are black.
157. The Durham City Council consists of twelve mem
bers, in addition to the mayor. Six are elected at large.
Six are elected at large, but must r eside in wards. Cur
rently, the following three members are black: Ralph
Hunt, representing a majority black ward; Chester L.
Jenkins elected at large; and A. J. Howard Clement,
appointed on May 16, 1983, to thE: expiration of Maceo
K. Sloan's term. Sloan, who is also black, was elected at
large and resigned April18, 1983.
158. Wake County (House District #21) can be divided
into six single member districts with one and only one
of them over 65% black in population.•
159. In February, 1982, the Legislature had available
to it the proposal of the Black Lawyers Association which
contained a single-member district in Wake County which
-
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
have a population deviation of less than plus or minus 5%.
JA-112
was over 65% black in population. In addition, a member
of the legislative staff had prepared a single-member dis
trict for Wake County which was 68.5% black in popu
lation.•
160. If Wake County were divided into single-member
House districts, it would be the first division of that
county for House districts. Wake County was divided
the first time for Senate districts in 1982.
161. It is not possible to draw a single-member majority
black Senate district which is in Wake County or includes
substantial parts of Wake County.
162. Dan T. Blue, Jr., who is black, was elected as a
member of the House from Wake County for the 1981-82
and 1983-84 General Assemblies. In the 1982 Democratic
primary, Blue received the highest vote total of the fifteen
Democrats running. In the 1982 general election, Blue
received the second highest vote total of the seventeen
candidates for six seats. Five of the seventeen candidates
were Libertarians. All Democratic candidates won. Blue
had run in 1978 as a Democrat and he lost in the primary.
163. John W. Winters, who is black, was elected as a
Senator from Wake County for the 1975-76 and 1977-78
General Assemblies. Upon Winters' resignation, to accept
an appointment as a member of the North Carolina Utili
ties Commission, Clarence E. Lightner, who is black, and
is from Wake County, was appointed to replace Winters
in the North Carolina Senate. Except for the period from
1975-78, Wake County has never had a black Senator.
164. Wake County has a seven-member Board of County
Commissioners, who must reside in districts, but who are
nominated and elected-at-large. Elizabeth B. Cofield, who
is black, is a member of the Wake County Board of Coun-
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
have a population deviation o£ less than plus or minus 5%.
JA-113
ty Commissioners. Cofield was first elected in 1972 and
has been re-elected to successive four year terms since
then. She is the only black person to serve on the Wake
County Board of County Commissioners.
165. Wake County is a single-county Judicial District with
eight District Court Judges of whom currently 2, Stafford
Bullock and George Greene, are black. Judge Bullock was
appointed by the Governor in 1974 and was elected in
1976 and re-elected in 1980 and has been serving continu
ously since 197 4. Judge Greene was elected in 197 4, 1978
and 1982. In addition, Acie Ward was appointed by the
Governor to the District Court bench in 1982. She was
defeated in her bid for election in 1982. The person who
defeated her is white.
166. The Sheriff of Wake County, John J. Baker, Jr.,
is black. In ·1982, Sheriff Baker was elected to his second
consecutive term. Baker received 45,775 votes (63.5%)
in the general election November 2, 1982, while his Repub
lican opponent Clyde Cook, received 25,646 votes (36.5·% ).
In the Democratic primary held June 29, 1982 Baker re
ceived 26,329 votes, Tracy Bowling received 12,218 votes,
and Ira C. Fuller received 4,162 votes. Cook, Bowling and
Fuller are all white. On November 2, 1982, 77.6% of the
registered voters in Wake County were Democrats and
22.4% of the registered voters were Republicans.
167. When John Baker first ran for Sheriff in 1978, he
received 15,250 votes in the Democratic primary compared
to 15,102 for Lestor Kelly and 7,409 for Robert Decatsye
both of whom are white. In the second primary Baker
got 22,415 votes to 18,925 for Kelly. In the General elec
tion Baker got 32,882 votes compared to 31,882 for Cook,
the Republican who is white. Baker was the first black
sheriff in North Carolina this century.
168. Wake County has a nine-member Board of Educa
tion, all of whom are elected from districts. Currently,
JA-114
one of those nine members, Vernon Malone, is black.
Malone was elected from a majority black district.
169. The Wake County Board of Elections consists of
three members. J. J. Sansom, Jr. served from March 2,
1970 until December of 1977, when he resigned. Rosa Gill
has been a member since December 6, 1977, and has been
Chairperson since April 19, 1979. Sansom and Gill are
both black.
170. There has never been a black chairman of the
Wake County Democratic Party.
171. The City of Raleigh, located in Wake County, has
a total population of 150,255 according to 1980 census
figures. 27.43% of the population and 18.1% of the regis
tered voters in Raleigh are black.
172. Clarence E. Lightner, who is black, was elected as
and served as Mayor of Raleigh from 1973 to 1975. Ra
leigh is located in Wake County and is the capital of
North Carolina. Lightner is the only black Mayor Raleigh
has ever had.
173. The Raleigh City Council has 7 members, two
elected at large and five elected from wards, plus the
mayor serving ex-officio. Since 1979, Arthur Calloway,
who is black, has represented a majority black ward on
the City Council. Calloway ini;tially defeated William
Knight, also black, who served from 1973 until 1979. No
other members of the Raleigh City Council are black.
17 4. House District 8 (Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash
Counties) can be divided into four single-member districts
with one and only one over 60% black in population!
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
have a population deviation of less than plus or minus 5% .
JA-115
175. House District #8 is not changed from the 1971
apportionment. There has never been a black representa
tive from this district.
176. Edgecombe County has a five-member Board of
County Commissioners, all of whom are elected at large.
Currently, two of those County Commissioners, Thomas
Walker and J. 0. Thorne, are black. 43% of the registered
voters in Edgecombe County are black. Walker and
Thorne are the first blacks to serve on the Edgecombe
County Board of Commissioners. Wilson County and Nash
County have never had a black county commissioner.
177. Wilson County, Edgecombe County, and Nash
County have not had a black sheriff in this century. The
voting age population of Wilson County is 32.4% black,
The voting age population of Nash County is 29.4% black.
The voting age population of Edgecombe County is 46.7%
black. The Supervisor of Elections of Nash County re
calls no black candidate for sheriff over the last 20 years.
Over the last twenty years, only one black has filed for
and run for the office of sheriff in Wilson County. Frank
Jones, who is black, ran in 197 4. Out of the field of four
candidates, the incumbent, W. Robinson Pridgen, received
3,586 votes in the first primary. Jones, the black candidate
received 2,480 votes in the first primary. Two other white
candidates received, respectively, 1,662 and 1,270 votes,
respectively, in the first primary. Pridgen defeated Jones
in the second primary by a vote of 6,321 to 3,414. Over
the last ten years only one black is known to have filed
for and run for office of sheriff in Edgecombe County.
178. The Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash County Demo
cratic parties have never had a black chairman.
179. It is not possible to draw more than two single
member majority black House districts in Guilford County.
One majority black district currently exists.
JA-116
180. It is not possible to draw more than one single
member majority black Senate district in Guilford County.
There is now a single-member Senate district in Guilford
County which is 54.9% black in population.
181. On December 31, 1971, Alfreda Webb, who is black,
was appointed to replace MeN eil Smith, who is white, as
a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from Guilford County. Webb ran for re-election in 1972
and lost in the primary.
182. Henry E. Frye, who was appointed to the North
Carolina Supreme Court in 1983 and who is black,
was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly
as a Representative from Guilford County for the
1969-70, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1977-78 and 1979-80
General Assemblies and was elected as a Senator from
Guilford County for the 1981-82 General Assembly. Frye
did not run in 1982. Frye is one of seven Supreme Court
Justices and is the first black to serve on the North Caro
lina Supreme Court this century.
183. In the 1982 elections for members of the 1983 Gen
eral Assembly, William M. Martin, who is black, was
elected from the 31st Senate District, consisting of J e:ffer
son Township, Greensboro Precincts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
11, 19, 25, 29, and 30, High Point Precincts 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12,
and 19, James town Precincts 1, 2, and 3, Sumner Town
ship and Block 921 of Census Tract 166 in High Point
Township, all in Guilford County. The 31st Senate District
is 54.9% black i.-·1 population. In 1980 William Martin had
run for the House of Representatives from Guilford Coun
ty in a countywide at large election and lost. He was the
only black candidate in that election.
184. In the 1982 elections for members of the 1983
General Assembly, Herman C. Gist, who is black, and who
is from Guilford County, was elected from the 26th House
District consisting of Providence Township of Randolph
JA-117
County, Greensboro Precincts 5, 6, 7, 8, 19, 29, and 30
and Fentress Township of Guilford County, as a member
of the North Carolina House of Representatives for the
1983-84 General Assembly. The 26th House District is
66.9% black in population. Gist had run for city council
for Greensboro in an at-large election in 1980 and lost.
185. Guilford County has five Commissioners elected at
large for four year staggered terms. Guilford County has
not had a black County Commissioner since 1978. At that
time B. A. Hall, who had served since 1974, was defeated
in his bid for re-election. There has been no black County
Commissioner in Guilford County prior to 1974.
186. Guilford County is in a single-county judicial dis
trict electing eight District Court Judges of whom cur
rently one, William Hunter, is black. Hunter ran for judge
in a countywide single seat election in 1980 and lost. He
was appointed by the Governor in 1981.
187. Guilford County has never had a black sheriff.
188. In February, 1982, and in April, 1982, the Senate
Redistricting Committee was informed that a Senate dis
trict could be drawn in the area of Senate District 2
which was 59.4% black in population.
189. In February, 1982, the Senate Redistricting Com
mittee had before it the proposal of the Black Lawyers
Association which contained a proposed single-member
district in the general area of current Senate District
which was 60.7% black in population.•
190. In February 1982, Senate District #2 was 51.7%
black. In response to the objection letter of the Attorney
General of the United States dated April 19, 1982 (Ex
hibit Y), in April, 1982, the General Assembly amended
• Each district would be contiguous, reasonably compact, and
have a population deviation of less than plus or minus 5%.
.JA-118
the apportionment of the Senate such that Senate District
#2 became a 55.1% black district. It is only possible to
draw a Senate district with a 60% or more black majority
in the area of Senate District #2 in part by decreasing
the 49.3% black percentage in the area of Senate District
#6. It is not possible to draw two majority black Senate
districts in these areas with both of them over 55% black
in population.
191. None of the counties in Senate District #2 had
a black sheriff.
192. There are currently four black sheriffs in North
Carolina. They serve in Wake, Pender, New Hanover, and
Warren Counties. There is currently one black Clerk of
Court, in Gates County.
JA-119
TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS
(EXCERPTS)
[19] FURTHER PROCEEDINGS 10:26 A.M.
(Whereupon,
Bernard N. Grofman
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as fol
lows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION
• • • • • • • • • •
[30] There are several points to be made about the
North Carolina House Map. First of all, in the covered
jurisdictions-the 40 counties covered under Section 5 of
the Voting Rights Act-there are 11 counties which have .
been divided. They include District 17, which includes part
of Cumberland; District 5, Bertie, Gates, Hertford and
Northampton; District Number 7, Halifax and Martin
and also Warren, which is not a Section 5 covered county;
District Number 26, Guilford-and also part of Guilford,
Randolph, which is again not a Section 5 covered county.
But in any case, a total of 11 counties have been divided.
And I repeat that counties which have been divided are
indicated by placing in those counties the township bound
ary demarcation lines as a signal that these counties have
been divided in the House reapportionment.
In the non-covered portions of the State, 15 counties
have been divided. They are Henderson, Watauga, Avery,
Burke, Iredell, Alexander, Catawba, Stokes, Forsyth,
Randolph, Chatham, Warren, Pender, Graham and New
Hanover. I have deliberately gone over this perhaps too
fast. But since this information is available in the stipu
lation, it seems appropriate to proceed on .
• • • • • • • • • •
JA-120
[31] Ms. Winner: At this point I move plaintiff's ex
hibits 2 and 3 into evidence, as well as *' * *
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Dr. Grofman, are you familiar with the literature
concerning multi-member districts~
A. Yes; I am.
Q. Would you describe to the Court or compare for the
Court the features of multi-member districts with the
features of single-member districts~
A. There are several-there are five basic features of
multi-member districts which I would wish to contrast
with features of single-member districts. First, except un
der the unlikely circumstance that districts are perfectly
homogeneous in their population, [32] multi-member dis
tricts tend to submerge racial or other minorities. Related
ly, large multi-member districts reduce political competi
tion and incentives to voter turnout because of the winner
take all nature feature of multi-member districts. The
majority of voters in a multi-member district can and
usually does elect all of the representatives to that dis
trict.
Voters who see no chance of a candidate of their
choice being elected are less likely to vote. Minority voters
who may compromise portions of a competitive single
member district or a majority black single-member dis
trict are also likely to be submerged by multi-member
districts, especially large multi-member districts.
Q. Would you describe for the Court or define for the
Court what you mean by "submerged"~
A. Yes. As I define submergencE:, there are three com
ponents to submergence in a multi-member district. First,
there must be a sufficient concentration of black voting
strength sufficiently concentrated so as to form a majority
of a potential single-member district.
JA-121
Secondly, the present black voting strength must con
stitute a minority of the voters in the existing multi
member district. Thirdly, voting within the multi-member
district must be racially polarized.
[33] Thank you. Are there other comparisons between
the features of multi-member districts and single-member
districts!
A. Yes. So far I have indicated only the first of such
comparisons, the issue of submergence and impact on
turnout. The second comparison is one having to do with
the base of geographic representation. Multi-member dis
tricts almost never give equal representation to all of the
geographic areas within the larger multi-member district.
And large sets of voters-and in particular, black voters
may have no representative or less than equal opportunity
to elect representatives who reside in their neighborhood.
Q. Are there further features of multi-member districts
as compared to single-member districts T
A. The third feature is that in a multi-member district
the link between a constituent and his or her representa
tive is weakened relative to what it would be in a single
member district.
In a multi-member district, common sensically it is less
clear who a voter ought to go to to deal with neighbor
hood-related problems. There does not exist a one-to-one
linkage between voter and representatives.
Multi-member districts are particularly pernicious in
their effects when the multi-member [34] representatives
-that is, when those elected from the multi-member dis
trict-live in only some sections of the multi-member dis
trict. And whole large populations, including minority
populations, have no representative who lives in their
neighborhood or only limited representation from their
neighborhood; and thus have no individual representing
them who could be expected to be familiar with special
JA-122
1ssues that arise on a neighborhood basis or portion of
city basis.
• • • • • • • • • •
[36] The witness: And I have now completed Item Num
ber 3, which dealt with a link between a constituent and
his representative, comparing that link in single-member
versus multi-member districts.
The fourth point that I would make is that campaigns
in multi-member districts cost considerably more to run
than campaigns in single-member districts, which are, of
course, going to be smaller in size. Thus, minorities in
other less wealthy segments of the society are going to
find it difficult to run successful campaigns in large, multi
member districts because of the barriers imposed by ad
ditional costs.
The fifth point I would make-which I believe is point
Number 6 in the text. There are some minor points which
I am skipping over simply for sake of brevity. The fifth
point I would make is that multi-member districts fail to
satisfy a criterion which political scientists have proposed
it important for any election system to satisfy. That is a
criterion called consistency.
DIRECT EXAMINATION 10:54 A.M.
(Resumed)
By Ms. Winner :
[37] Q. What is consistencyT
A. Well, it is easier to define inconsistency, if I may.
An election system is inconsistent if it is possible for a
candidate to win in every precinct or every county, say,
in a multi-county, multi-member district-if it is possible
to win in every precinct or in every county and still
lose the election.
JA-123
Multi-member districts as they operate in North Caro
lina are theoretically inconsistent; whereas single-member
districts always satisfy the consistency requirement.
Q. Dr. Grofman, have you examined the North Carolina
apportionment plan to determine whether or not these
theoretical problems exist in North Carolina t
A. Yes; I have.
Q. Calling your attention to the first feature that you
pointed out-that of submergence-have you found that
submergence occurs in North Carolina t
A. I have indeed found that submergence occurs in
North Carolina.
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 48] Would you compare these illustrative single-member
districts with the single-member districts which the state
has enacted in the Section 5 covered counties?
A. In shape and in nature, these districts are compar
able to the district which were created in the covered
counties of the state. I might note, however, that the pro
posed single-member districts in Mecklenburg replacing
the Mecklenburg-Cabarrus combined district; in Durham,
in Forsyth. in Wake and in Mecklenburg for the House
seats-all have the property that they do not require the
crossing of county lines. Each single-member district can
be composed solely within a given county .
• • • • • • • • • •
[50] Q. Would you define for the Court what racially
polarized voting is T
A. Quite simply, racial polarization occurs when white
voters and black voters vote differently from one another.
Q. Is that in any way different from racial bloc voting?
A. No; it is not. Racial polarization and racial block
voting are used in the literature and in the court cases-
JA-124
at least the court cases with which I am familiar- syn
onymously.
• • • • • • • • • •
[51] The elections which I analyzed were all of the elec
tions in the period 1978 to 1982 in these counties involv
ing races in which at least one black was a candidate for
either the House or Senate. And those included both pri
mary and general races.
In addition, I analyzed county board primaries in Edge
combe, Wilson and Nash and a county board general elec
tion in Edgecombe. And I analyzed the patterns of voting
jn Edgecombe, Wilson and Nash for the Michaux-Va:len
tine :first and second congressional primary as it applied
to those three counties.
Q. What were the criteria--
A. (Interposing) I am sorry. That was a 1982 election.
Q. What were the criteria which you used to pick the
elections which you analyzed T
A. There were six factors which I took into account
before deciding what elections to analyze and before con
ducting any analysis. First, since we are concerned with
polarization in House and Senate elections, it made most
sense to me to examine to the extent possible races in
the House and in the Senate.
Secondly, since we are concerned with racial polariza
tion it was easiest and most appropriate to look at that
in the context of black-white contests, although [52] racial
polarization can occur even in elections in which there
are no black candidates.
Third, it seemed absolutely essential to have a com
plete set of elections so as not to be misled by idiosyn
cratic features of a particular, perhaps unrepresentative,
election sample. Fourth, I felt it important to have an
adequate representation in terms of the total number of
JA-125
elections per each county so that we again would not be
misled by features of a particular election. And I de
termined that at least three elections in each county would
be sufficient and indeed necessary.
Fifth, I determined it important that there be an ade
quate representation of different election years, since no
single election year can be representative, especially since
there will be important differences between-in general,
there will be important differences-between elections in
which there is a presidential contest or election years in
which there is a presidential contest and election years in
which there is not a presidential contest; or perhaps be
tween years in which there is a Republican incumbent
running for a statewide or national office and years in
which there is not a Republican incumbent running for
statewide or national office.
Sixth, however, it was important not to go [53] back
too far in time lest we obtain elections which did not
reflect current patterns of polarization. In balancing the
need for an adequate sample of election years and the
need for a representative sample of election years, I con
cluded that three election years-1978, 1980 and 1982,
totaling five calendar years-came closest to the ideal.
Finally, if it is impossible to get enough elections of
the type we want within a given county or within a given
specified range of years, then we should look for addi
tional elections involving black candidates which are as
similar as possible to legislative races-for example, ones
like county board elections, which also involve a county
wide race. And that was the selection criteria I used in
the case of Edgecombe, Wilson and Nash, where there
was not an adequate sample of three elections or three
contests involving black-white contests from the North
Carolina House or the North Carolina Senate in the
period 1978 to 1982-or indeed, from any period in recent
North Carolina electoral history.
JA-126
And in those counties, in addition to looking at the one
primary which did involve-House primary in the coun
ties-which did involve a black candidate, I also looked
at county board elections in each and at a [54] congres
sional race involving a black-white contest which resulted
in two primaries and in a congressional district which
encompassed all three of these counties-that is to say,
which included as part of the congressional district Edge
combe, Wilson and Nash.
Q. What methods have you used to analyze the data 1
A. There are two basic methods which I made use of
which are methods standard in the literature fo r the
analysis of racial polarization. The first of these is a
method called ecological regression. And the second is a
method called extreme case analysis.
Q. What is an extreme case analysis T
A. Extreme case analysis is when in order to under
stand the voting behavior of white voters and black voters,
one looks at precincts which are overwhelmingly composed
of members of one race. Thus, if one were interested in
the voting behavior of white voters, one would look at
voting precincts which had at least 95 percent white pop
ulation. To understand the voting behavior of black voters,
one would look at precincts which had at least, say, 95
percent black population. That is called in the literature
extreme case analysis.
Q. What is the purpose of an ecological [55] regression
analysis to determine racially polarized voting?
A. The purpose of an ecological regression analysis is
to determine if there is racial polarization-that is to say,
to determine whether or not white voters and black voters
vote differently from one another.
Q. What comparisons are performed in an ecological
regression analysis 1
JA-127
A. The basic comparison is a comparison of the pro
portion of vote received by black or white candidates in
each precinct with the proportion of black/white voters
in each precinct. That is to say, we look at-for a given
black or a given white candidate, we look at the vote
received by that candidate or candidates. And we com
pare that vote in the precinct with the racial proportion
in that precinct.
Q. Is there an additional comparison that you makeT
A. There are two related comparisons. We may either
look at candidates individually and ask for the compari
son between the proportion of the vote for a given candi
date and the proportion of the district which is of a
given race ; or we may combine-and this is, again, a
standard technique in literature. We may combine all
candidates of a given race and examine the [56] votes
the combined votes-for candidates of a given race within
each precinct, looking at the comparison of the votes for
candidates of a given race versus the racial composition
of each of the precincts.
• • • • • • • • •
[57] FURTHER PROCEEDINGS 11 :45 A.M .
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Dr. Grofman, if you made a graph _of the compari
son that you performed in the ecological regression an
alysis and if race was not a factor in the-if the race of
the voter were not a factor in who he or she voted for,
what would that graph look likeT
A. If we looked at a graph which compared vote pro
portions received by particular candidates with the racial
composition of each of the precincts and race wasn't a
factor related to how voters voted, what you would expect
to find is that the points on this graph basically would
be randomly scattered all over the place; or possibly they
JA-128
might fall on a flat line like indicating essentially that all
voters voted alike regardless of race. But most often,
you would expect that they would be randomly scattered.
[58] Q. And if you graph the comparison and the race
of the voter is a factor in determining who they vote for,
then what does the graph look like T
A. Well, if voting were racially polarized and you
looked at such a graph, what you would expect to :find is
that in comparing the proportion of votes for a given
candidate or candidates with, say, the proportion white
voters in each precinct, you would expect to see these
points that show these proportions fall on something very
much like a straight line which will slope either up or
down.
Q. And what would it mean if the line sloped up T
A. If the line sloped up, that would mean that as the
proportion of whites increased-that is, as the proportion
of white voters in each precinct increased-the propor
tion of votes received by that candidate also increased.
Q. What does it mean if the line slopes down T
A. If the line slopes down, that would mean that as
the proportion of whites in the precinct increased the
candidate would get fewer votes.
Q. What do you do if the points don't fall exactly on
the straight line T
A. Well, points never fall-just in my experience
never fall exactly on a straight line, even when [59] voting
was racially polarized. So when the points look like they
might be a straight line, you would try to determine
whether in fact the points were close enough to forming
a straight line to act as if they actually were a straight
line.
JA-129
Q. How do you decide if they are close enough to a
straight line for them to be considered a straight line!
A. Well, there are two tests that social scientists and
statisticians apply. One is the interocular test. You look
at the graph and say, "Is this a straight line?" and if
it sort of jumps up and hits you between the eyes, then
you decide, "Yes. That is really a straight line. " And
then if you really want to--
Judge Britt: (Interposing) Do you call that eyeballing
itT
The witness: Well, it depends on what state you are in.
Social scientists manage to have fancy terms for some
unfancy things. And in social science, partly tongue in
cheek, it is called the interocular test-i-n-t-e-r-o-c-u-1-a-r.
However, there is also a standard statistic to look at.
And that is the statistic which is called correlation or the
correlation coefficient, or also [60] called "R" or "Pear
son's R" after a gentleman named Pearson, who was the
first to propose it.
By Ms. Winner :
Q. What is the range of possible correlation coefficients!
A. The range of possible correlation coefficients is
from -1 to +1; +1 indicating lines or positive numbers
indicating lines which slope up, negative numbers indi
cating lines which slope down.
Usually political scientists will talk about the absolute
value of the correlation coefficient. That is, they will pay
no attention to the sign. So if something has, say, an
absolute value above .5, that would mean that either it
was greater than .5 or it was less than -.5.
In political science I think it would be fair to say that
values of correlations-at least in the kinds of regressions
we are dealing with here, one variable versus another
JA-130
variable--values of correlations above .5 are relatively
rare . .And certainly most political scientists would treat
any value of a correlation above .5 as a situation in which
they would act, in effect, as if the points fell on a straight
line.
Q. Have you done other ecological regression analyses T
[61] A. I have done some other ecological regressions
and of course, many, many other kinds of regression an
alyses-thousands of regression analyses over the last
decade.
Q. What is the normal range of correlation coefficients
that you have found in those past analyses T
A. In most of the analyses I have done, one finds corre
lation- one is happy when one finds correlation coefficients
above .3. The only time-the highest correlation coefficient
that I can remember occurred when you look at how a
person said he was going to vote in an election that was
going to take place tomorrow and you compared that with
how the person actually voted tomorrow in that ' case,
you got a correlation of around .91.
Q. How do you determine whether or not--
A. (Interposing) There were some people who just didn't
know their own minds.
Q. How do you determine whether the correlation co
efficient is statistically significantT
A. Again, there is a standard statistical test for the
statistical significance of the value of the correlation
coefficient. And in the computer programs that I used,
that standard measure of statistical significance is re
ported.
Usually in social science, the rule is that [ 62] is the
statistical significance is less than .01, then certainly we
would regard something as statistically signifieance .. 01
JA-131
would mean that there is less than a 1 in 100 chance that
this observed pattern of line likeness could have, in fact,
occurred just by chance.
Q. Once you determine the statistical significance of the
information, who other factors do you determine in an
ecological regression analysis T
A. Well, there are a number of things that can be done
with the information from an ecological regression analy
sis and also from extreme case analysis. You can, for
example, determine whether or not voting is racially
polarized. You can determine the proportion of the white
or the black vote which goes to white or black candidates.
You can determine the proportion of white or black
voters who vote for particular white or black candidates.
You can determine the ranking of black or white can
didates among white or black voters. And you can also
determine turnout figures in the election, including the turn
out of the white voters and the turnout of the black voters
estimated from the regression. And you can also determine
the average number of ballots cast in the election by
white voters and by black voters. In North Carolina in a
multi-member district election, r63] voters may have up
to eight ballots or up to eight votes that they could cast.
Voters, however, may not choose to make use of the full
electoral opt:!_on. And they may cast less than eight votes.
We can calculate how many ballots on average each
voter casts. And we can determine that also separately
by the race of the voter .
• • • • • • • • • •
[77] Judge Phillips : You are being clear. I wonder if
it might be appropriate to ask Mr. Leonard if there is any
substantial question about the accuracy of these particular
exhibits as they reflect or if they reflect the sheer mathe
matics of the situation? We seem to be spending an awful
JA-132
lot of time to develop a point that, while not within the
range, I suppose, of judicial notice, is almost there.
Mr. Leonard: If the court please, we don't disagree
with Dr. Grofman 's arithmetic~ just his conclusions. The
methodology that he has used is a methodology that Dr.
Hofler will, in fact, rely on and [78] will be using some
of D:r. Grofman 's exhibits to rebut the conclusions that
he comes to.
• • • • • • • • •
[79] Dr. Grofman, from the results of your analyses of
these 55--
A. (Interposing) 53.
Q. 53-excuse me-elections, did you reach any general
conclusions 1
A. Yes. I reached a number of general conclusions.
Q. What are those conclusions 1
A. The first general conclusion that I reached about
polarization in all of the eight counties in question is that
in each and every one of the 53 elections which I analyzed,
these elections were racially polarized. Indeed, there was
racial polarization even in elections with black incumbents
and even in elections [80] with blacks running in which
there was no contest.
The correlations ranged from .7 to .98 with most well
above .9. Again, I can give an illustration from Durham.
But I won't bother. The court can see quite clearly that
in Durham all but one of the correlations are quite high.
And even that one is at the .7 level, which is still well
above the range which would be considered significant.
And moreover, the statistical significance test of all the
regression analyses found a statistical significance level
of .00001-that is to say, a likelihood that the results
could have occurred by chance alone of less than 1 in
100,000.
JA-133
The second general conclusion-actually, I am going to
give it in three parts. First, in North Carolina general
elections no black candidate ever got a majority of whites
to vote for him or her. And this was true even for black
incumbents and even for candidates running in races
which were uncontested. Even such individuals-such black
candidates-did not receive the votes of a majority of
white voters.
Indeed, on average over these elections more than 60
percent of the white voters did not vote for the black
candidate.
The second part of my second conclusion deals with
primaries. On average in the eight counties in the [81] pri
maries, less than 20 percent of white voters voted for
the black candidate. Except in unusual cases-3 out of
25- in all the primary elections, 60 percent or more of
whites did not vote for the black candidate. I might note
the three exceptions.
In the three exceptions the votes for the black candi
date given by white voters ranged between 47 percent
and 50 percent in the primary. But then in the general
election the candidate went on to get less than a majority
of the votes of white voters in all three of these cases.
The third part of my general conclusion 2 is that in
general elections black candidates almost always rank
last or next to last among white voters except in general
elections in heavily Democratic areas where black candi
dates sometimes rank last overall, but almost always rank
last or next to last among Democrats.
And similarly, in primaries-again, with a handful of
exceptions-white voters give fewest votes to black can
didates of any candidates in the race.
Turning now to my third conclusion-third general con
clusion-looking at primaries and general elections as a
JA-134
two-stage process which candidates must overcome if they
are to be elected, since it does no good to be potentially
capable of winning a general [82] election if one has lost
the primary or to be potentially of winning a primary
if one is certain not to lose the general election, I would
conclude that in North Carolina in the eight counties I
have studied black candidates cannot get a majority of
whites to vote for them, no mattRr what these black can
didates do and no matter who these black candidates are.
In short, racial polarization is severe and persistent.
My fourth general conclusion is that although black
incumbency-that is, the presence of a black incumbent
in a race-moderates the amount of racial polarization,
it does not eliminate it, since as I indicated earlier, all
of the races I analyzed did involve racial polarization
including those with black incumbents.
Moreover, if we look not at black elected incumbents
but at black appointed incumbents, we find that being a
black appointed incumbent is no great help to electoral
success. There were three black appointed incumbents in
these races, 1978 to 1982. All three lost, either in the
primary or the general election.
Actually, just as a footnote, there were potentially-one
might count there being four appointed incumbents. A black
candidate, Motley, was appointed to replace Alexander,
who died. Alexander held the position [83] of Senator
from Mecklenburg and Cabarrus. However, the election
took place before Motley's name or anyone else's name
that appear on the ballot. And in that race, Alexander
who was not alive-lost. But nonetheless, in that race,
Alexander received thE> clear, overwhelming support of the
black community. And Alexander received less than one
third of the votes in the white community.
JA-135
I might note in general, that the appointed black in
cumbents got less than one third of the white voters to
vote for them in earh of these three cases.
My fifth general conclusion is as follows: even though
a. constituency has dected a black candidate in the past,
this does not provide a guarantee that it will do so in
the future, especially if the black incumbent who is the
present occupant of that position does not run in the future
in subsequent races,
My sixth conclusion: in general elections, wherever there
is a black Democrat running and wherever a Democrat
loses, it will be the black Democrat who loses. For all
practical purposes, Republicans never vote for black Demo
crats. But, Republicans do sometimes vote for white Demo
crats.
Judge Dupree: How do you find out who anybody votes
for?
[84] The witness: The techniques in question here are to
look at, again, ecological regressions, looking at now the
proportion Republican in each district rather than the
proportion black in a district and comparing the vote
patterns as districts change in their proportion Repub
lican.
What we find when we do that is that as the Republican
proportion increases, the likelihood of a vote for the black
candidate decreases; and indeed, decreases so dramatically
that one can have confidence in the conclusion that for all
practical purposes, Republicans simply do not vote for
black Democrats. But they do vote for white Democrats.
There is another form of analysis I have performed if
you wish me to go into it, which also supports that con
clusion. That is to be found in Appendix 5 to Exhibit 11.
By Ms. Winner:
JA-136
Q. Dr. Grofman, in explaining that you used the word
''districts. ''
A. I am sorry-precincts, I think. Whenever I am
talking, I will distinguish-=-precincts are the areas in
voters register. Districts are the constituencies from which
candidates run.
Q. Do you have any further general conclusions T
f85] A. Yes. I have two further general conclusions. My
seventh general conclusion is with respect to single shot
·voting. For a non-incumbent black to win an election in
which it was realistically possible to elect an aE-white
slate-that is to say, it might not be realistically possible
to elect an all-white slate if, in fact, there are no candi
dates running in opposition to the nominees, as in Dur
bam, for example, in 1980.
If you have a non-incumbent black trying to win an
election in which it was realistically possible to elect an
all-white slate, the black community has to vote almost
exclusi·vely for the black candidate in order to provide any
reasonable chance for that black candidate to be ~lected,
given the degree of racial polarization in these counties.
And my eighth and final general conclusion about all of
the counties as a whole is that even though blacks must
often concentrate-black voters must often concentrate
their votes on black candidates in order to give these black
eandidates a chance at winning, on balance whites-that is
to say, white voters-are less willing to vote for black
candidates than black voters are willing to vote for white
candidates.
And again, I can provide, if the court wishes, exact
calculations to support that conclusion.
[86] Do these general conclusions also apply to the indi
vidual CJunties T
JA-137
A. Yes. These general conclusions apply to each of the
counties singly as well.
•
Q. Have you conducted your analysis county by countyt
A. Yes; I have.
• • • • • • • • •
Q. What are your conclusion about Forsyth County!
A. In Forsyth, blacks will lose unless Republicans
black candidates will lose in the general election unless Re
publicans do poorly, since if there is a [87] Republican
winner in the general election, that Republican winner will
knock off the black Democrats, since as I previously indi
cated, Republicans do not vote for black Democrats al
though they do vote for some white Democrats.
Moreover, in Forsyth County examining the pattern of
racial polarization over the three election years, there
is no consistent trend to suggest that racial polarization
is declining over time in this county.
Q. Have you examined in particular the results of the
1982 House election in Forsyth county?
A. Yes; I have.
Q. In that election, how many black candidates wonT
A. In that election, two black candidates won.
Q. In your opinion, what is the likelihood of that result
repeating itsel£1
A. I think the likelihood of that result repeating itself
is very close to zero.
Q. What is the basis of that opinion T
A. The basis for that opinion is severalfold. First of
all, the racial polarization in Forsyth in 1982 was exactly
identical to what it was in 1980 in the primary. VThat was
different between 1980 and 1982 was [88] that in 1980 there
JA-138
were five white candidates running for five seats. In 1982,
there were nine white candidates running for five seats in
the primary.
In both cases, 1980 and 1982, there were two black can
didates running in the primary. In 1982 there were more
white candidates than white voters could vote for. And
moreover, there were not white incumbents in the race,
because four out of five white incumbents had declined to
run for re-election.
So the white vote was split nine ways in the primary,
while the black vote was concentrated among two black
candidates. Absent a situation in which whites will once
again so split their vote, there is no reason to anticipate
that two black candidates would emerge from a primary in
Forsyth, even though two of those blacks are now in
cumbents.
The reason for that, as indicated, is that the degree of
racial polarization in Forsyth, particularly in the primary,
does not lead one to believe that white voters will vote
for black candidates.
• • • • • • • • •
[90] Another difference between 1980 and 1982 which
cannot be expected to reoccur in 1984 is that in Forsyth
from 1980 to 1982 black turnout in the primary stayed
constant. But white turnout in the primary decreased. I
note, as I have previously noted, that 1980 was a general
presidential election year. One might also take note of
the fact that 1984 is a general presidential year. It also
is a year in which there in the state of North Carolina
is an incumbent Republican candidate for the United
States Senate who is likely to be running.
Insofar as portions of this decline in voter turnout can
be attributed to a decline in Republican voters, certainly
one would expect those Republican vo~ers who are white
and who do not vote for black candidates would be more
likely to turn out in 1984; and secondly, that in general
JA-139
the discrepancies between white voter turnout and black
voter turnout which manifests itself in 1980 election would
again emerge in 1984.
In 1980 there was a considerable discrepancy in the
general election between the turnout figures for whites
and for blacks. In 1982, black turnout declined slightly, but
only slightly from what it had been in 1980. White turn
out in the general election in Forsyth in 1982 declined
substantially-20 percentage [91] points-from what it
had been in 1982.
Clearly, 1982 is not a representative year, nor are the
circumstances-multiplicy of white candidates, low white
turnout, off presidential year-which occurred in 1982
likely to repeat themselves in the future. And certainly
at worst one cart say there is no guarantee that they would
repeat themselves in the future.
• • • • • • • • • •
[94] Q. Dr. Grofman, did you reach any conclusions as
a result of your analysis about Mecklenburg CountyT
A. Yes. I reached some conclusions about Mecklenburg
County specifically in addition to the general conclusions
applicable to all of the districts that I looked at.
Q. What were the specific conclusions that you reached
about Mecklenburg County1
A. My clear conclusions about Mecklenburg were very
similar to my conclusions about Forsyth. In Mecklenburg,
blacks will lose unless Republicans do poorly since, as I
noted before, if there is a Republican winner he or she
will be most likely to knock off the black Democrat rather
than a white Democrat because of the racial polarization
that exists in the election.
This also implies that one can expect a difference in
election outcomes in years in which there are special in
centives for Republican turnout than in other years- in
JA-140
particular, years in which there is a Republican incumbent
or a popular Republican candidate running either for a
national or a statewide ticket.
Judge Phillips : Do you tliink you could summarize the
conclusions that you have reached in general with respect
to all of these and simply devote your--
[95] The witness: (Interposing) No. With respect, your
honor, I could not. The conclusions do, in fact, differ from
county to county.
Judge Phillips: Very well.
By Ms. Winner:
Q. Do you have any other conclusions about Mecklen
burg County~
A. Yes. In Mecklenburg-and this is, indeed, a general
conclusion which applies to all of the counties. I indicated
this conclusion previously for Forsyth. In Mecklenburg
and Forsyth and in the other districts which I looked at,
there are no consistent trends over the course of the three
elections which would suggest that racial polarization is
declining ov~r time in these counties or in these districts.
Q. Do you have further conclusions specifically about
Mecklenburg County~
A. No ; I do not.
Q. Did you examine the 1982 House race in Mecklen
burg County?
A. Yes; I did.
Q. Were you present in Dr. Hofler's deposition where
he gave an explanation for why candidate Richardson
lost~
A. Yes; I was.
[96] Q. Do you recall what that explanation was~
JA-141
A. Dr. Hofler indicated as a factor in the defeat of Mr.
Richardson the fact that he received inadequate support
from the black community.
Q. Do you agree with that analysis f
A. No ; I do not.
Q. Whynot7
A. If one looks at the data which is to be found in
Appendix 3, Table 1, you will see that Mr. Richardson
received the votes of 88 percent of the black voters and
the votes of only 29 percent of the white voters-this
in a county which is over-and lost to a Republican in
in a county which is overwhelmingly Democrat.
Given that 88 percent of the black voters voted for him
and 21 percent of the white majority population of the
district voted for him, it seems to me rather absurd to
blame his lack of success on a failure of adequate support
from the black community.
• • • • • • • • • •
[98] Q. Do you have any particular conclusions about
Durham County?
A. Yes. I have some general conclusions about Durham
County. In Durham I would conclude that winning the
Democratic nomination is tantamount to election. And thus
this means that given the incumbency advantage, [99] it
is likely that present black incumbents would have a rea
sonable probability, while certainly not a certainty, of
re-election.
However, if these incumbents do not run, the observed
levels of racial polarization in the primary make very
problematic the selection of a black candidate to supersede
a retiring black incumbent.
• • • • • • • •
.JA-142
[100] The witness: To repeat, if I may, briefly and
clearly, the candidates in 1978, Mr. Spaulding and Mr.
Clements-one received 10 percent or ten percent of white
voters voted for one of the-se candidates. 16 percent of
white voters for the other. 89 percent of black voters voted
for one of these candidates. 92 percent of black voters
voted for the other. The data in question are to be found
on the first page of Appendix 3 to Exhibit 11, Table I.
Okay. Turning to the 1982 election, since one would
not wish to be accused of not looking at 1982, 37 percent
of the white voters voted for the incumbent black candi
date. And that is to say, 73 percent of the white voters
didn 't-I am sorry-63 percent of the white voters did
not vote for the incumbent black candidate in the primary.
And on the other hand, 90 percent of the black voters
did vote for the incumbent black candidate, [101] Mr.
Spaulding.
By Ms. Winner:
Q. Dr. Grofman, how many candidates were there in the
Durham County primary in 1982?
A. There were four candidates in the Durham primary
in 1982, two of them black and two of them white.
Q. How many seats were there?
A. There were three seats to be filled.
Q. Does that influence your analysis of that county
that election?
A. That makes it even more patently obvious to the
extent of racial polarization, insofar as the primary elec
tion is one in which it is mathematically certain that a
black candidate must be elected. That is to say, there are
two whites, two blacks, three individuals being selected.
One of the individuals selected-at least one of the indi
viduals selected-must be a black. At least one of the in-
dividuals selected must be a white. .
JA-143
What this implies is that white voters in such a primary
might be inclined-knowing that a black candidate is guar
anteed of election in that primary-might be inclined to
cast votes for a particular black candidate as opposed to
another black candidate in order [102] to have the black
candidate whom they would regard as the lesser of two
evils elected. Thus, there would be an additional incentive
for white voters, even those who might not normally vote
for a black candidate, to vote for a black candidate in an
election where it was a certainty that one black candidate
would win and the question was which one it was going
to be.
• • • • • • • •
[147] FURTHER PROCEEDINGS 3:36P.M.
CROSS-EXAMINATION 3:56P.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • • • • • •
[159] Q. If I understand that definition as you have
used it-please correct me if I am wrong. If the white
population in a particular election district does not vote
for or [160] support black candidates in the same per
centage that the black population of that election district
supports the black candidates, then it is your opinion that
there is racial bloc voting or racial polarization in that
election; is that correct?
A. That is correct.
Q. Now, with respect to that definition, do you quantify
at all-do you find that there is in some elections some
racial bloc voting in other elections a significant amount
of racial bloc voting or do you quantify it in some other
·;vay?
JA-144
A. There are two ways to distinguish among levels of
racial bloch voting for the absence or presence of racial
bloc voting. The first question is is there racial bloc vot
ingT The answer to that is based on the relationship be
tween the race of voters and their votes. If there is a con
sistent relationship between race of the voter and the
way in which the voter votes, then there is indeed racial
polarization.
Having established that initial fact, one may then ask
is the observed racial polarization at a level which is
statistically significant? In answering that question, one
may look at the correlation coefficients. One may look at
in particular the level of statistical significance of the
correlation coefficient.
[161] I have previously testified that I have done so for
each and every one of the 53 elections I have examined
and have found each and every one of them to be statis
tically significant.
Q. When you say "statistically significant"--
A. (Interposing) I am sorry. I have not finished my
answer.
Q. Go ahead.
A. One may also wish to consider "whether or not there
is substantively major important substantively significant
racial polarization.'' There is no consensus as to what
such a term would mean, though as I have testified, in
my view a situation in which a majority of the white
voters are unwilling to vote for any black candidate
would certainly constitute such substantively significant
racial polarization .
• • • • • • • • • •
[175] Q. And specifically candidate two was Charlie
Grady Houser, now Representative Houser 1
JA-145
A. Yes.
Q. And candidate three was Annie Kennedy!
A. Yes.
Q. And they were the two black candidates!
A. Yes.
Q. And they were successful m the election; 1s that
correct!
A. Yes.
Q. Now, did you specifically take this election into con
sideration when you formed your conclusion with respect
to the 53 elections that you looked at, that in Forsyth
County and in North Carolina generally, there is sub
stantially significant racially polarized votingT
A. Yes ; this is one of the 53 elections I analyzed.
Q. And so the record is clear, in that election C. G.
Houser received-and I am only going to use the regres
sion estimates and not the extreme case estimates-re
ceived .87 percent-I'm sorry-received 87 percent of the
black vote and 42 percent of the white vote T
[176] A. That is correct.
Q. And Representative Kennedy received 94 percent of
the black vote and 46 percent of the white vote 1
A. That is correct.
Q. And is it correct, Dr. Grofman, to state that your
conclusion with respect to substantially significant racial
polarization in voting with respect to Forsyth County as
sumes race to be the predominant factor in that election T
A. No; that is not correct.
Q. What other factors did you consider!
JA-146
A. Did I consider in asking the question whether there
is racial polarization!
Q. Correct.
A. The only question which I considered in answering-'
the only data I considered in answering the question of
racial polarization is the voting behavior of whites and
blacks.
Q. Listen carefully to my question again. With respect
to your conclusion that there is substantially significant
racial polarization in voting in Forsyth County, did you
assume that race was the predominant factor in the elec
tion T
A. No, I did not. I can only repeat the answer I gave
previously.
[177] Q. Do you know what I mean by "factor"!
A. Yes.
Q. Is race a factor in an election T
A. Yes.
Q. What other factors did you consider with respect to
Forsyth County to come to your conclusion which is that
there is racial polarization-I'm sorry-that there is sub
stantially significant racial polarization in voting in For
syth County?
A. None; that is to say racial polarization as I have
defined it deals with the voting patterns of the white
voters versus the voting patterns of black voters. There
fore, I look at the voting patterns of white voters versus
the voting patterns of black voters to determine racial
polarization.
Q. Then you considered only the factor of voting in
your conc1.usion T
JA-147
A. Yes; since the definition of racial polarization I
have given is the definition having to do with voting.
Q. Let me strike that question and re-ask it. You there
fore considered only the voting patterns that you found
in the statistical data that you looked at in order to reach
your conclusion T
A. Yes; that is correct with the exception of [178] the
fact that I did have knowledge of which candidates
which black candidates were incumbents.
Q. And you knew which ones were black and whiteT
A. That is correct.
Q. I believe you testified that-I don't want to change
the words and I don't remember them specifically so
please correct me if I am wrong-that you could prac
tically guarantee that the election results in Forsyth
County in 1984 with respect to the two blacks would not
be repeated as they were in '82; is that correctT
A. That is my belief; yes.
Q. Can you tell the court any instance in which a
black incumbent in the General Assembly has lost an
election when that incumbent sought re-election T
A. There are no such examples in which-in counties
in which-there are no such examples.
• • • • • • • • • •
[181] Q. Now, if you would for me, let's move on to the
Durham House primary in June of 1982 which is Gingles
Exhibit 16(D) .
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. First of all, Dr. Grofman, what do you conclude
from this exhibit with respect to the ability of the black
community to single-shot vote T
JA-148
A. The black community in this exhibit did give the
bulk of its vote to candidate number four.
Q. Well, the bulk by approximately three to one;
[182] isn't that right T
A. That's right.
Q. Would you agree, Dr. Grofman, that single-shot vot
ing by the black community in Durham County at least
from the results of this election shows a high degree o.f
political sophistication T
A. It either shows a high degree of political sophistica
tion or a high degree of racial polarization.
Q. With respect to the conclusion that you drew, look
ing at the fact that Clement received 32 percent of the
black vote and 27 percent of the white vote, Spaulding
received 90 percent of the black vote and 42 percent of
the white vote, does this election form part of your con
clusion that there is substantially significant racially polar
ized voting in Durham CountyT
A. Yes. In this election, I have not concluded that there
is substantially significant racially polarized voting.
Q. I'm sorry. I didn't hear that.
A. In this election-the question you specifically asked
was: Is this one of the elections that I took into account
in deciding whether or not, in the county as a whole, there
was substantially significant polarization. The answer to
that question is, ''Yes.''
Unless I be misinterpreted, let me be clear [183] that I
am not concluding that in this election there was substan
tially significant racial polarization. There was statistically
significant racial polarization. There was racial polariza
tion.
Mr. Leonard: May I have just a momt:ntT
JA-149
(Pause.)
By Mr. Leonard:
Q. Now, Dr. Grofman, in that election-the one we were
referring to-Representative Spaulding who is a black
. was a winner and Mr. Clements who is black was a loser;
is that right T
A. Yes.
Q. Now go wth me if you would to Gingles exhibit
16(c) which is-I'm sorry-(E) which is the very next
exhibit which is the summary sheet on Durham County
in the House general election of November of 1982 to
elect three candidates-I'm sorry-to elect three repre
sentatives and there were three Democrats running and
one Independent white; is that righU
A. Yes; that's correct.
Q. And Representative Spaulding was the black-one
of the three black Democrats in that election; correct!
A. Correct.
Q. Looking again at the column which would be the
[184] third column, "Regression estimate," Representa
tive Spaulding received 89 percent of the black vote in
that election and the next closest candidate who was
white received 13 percent and the other two white candi
dates received less than that; correcU
A. Yes; that is correct.
Q. Is that an example of single-shot voting by blacks T
A. Yes.
Q. And does that election indicate to you that there is
a high degree of political sophistication by the blacks T
A. There again, either n high degree of policial sophis
tication or high racial polarization.
JA-150
Q. All right. Please note over in the regression esti
mate column that Spaulding received 43 percent of the
white vote.
A. That is correct.
Q. Do you conclude-do you consider this election as
part of the overall information when you came to your
conclusion that there is substantially significant racial
polarization in voting in Durham County!
A. Yes.
• • • • • • • • • •
[186] Q. Looking at the column, "Regression Esti
mates," would you draw any conclusion from the fact that.
Senator Alexander received 87 percent of the vote and
the next [187] highest vote among the blacks received by
white candidates was 27 percent, the other three being
lower, with respect to the political sophistication of blacks
in Mecklenburg County to single-shot vote 7
A. Again, blacks were concentrating their ballots on
the black candidates.
• • • • • • • • • •
[189] Q. Do you draw a conclusion, Dr. Grofman, from
those statistics with respect to the sophistication of black
voters to use single-shot voting!
A. Yes; black voters are using single-shot or concen
trated voting-casting fewer ballots than they are entitled
to cast and concentrating those ballots on black candidates.
[193] Q. Go with me, please, to Gingles Exhibit 17(D)
which is the House primary in Wake County in June
of 1982.
[194] Mr. Leonard: June 1982, the House primary in
Wake County.
By M:r. Leonard:
JA-151
Q. There were 15 candidates to-15 Democratic candi-
dates to fill six nomineed positions; is that correct!
A. Yes; that is correct.
Q. Only one of those was a black T
A. Yes; that is correct.
Q. That is Representative Dan Blue wha IS listed as
candidate number two on this exhibit!
A. Yes.
Q. Who was the highest vote-getter in that election T
A. Candidate two, Mr. Blue.
Q. And he received 82 percent of the black vote and
39 percent of the white voteT
A. That is correct.
Q. And from this election do you conclude that there is
substantially significant racial polarization in voting in
Wake County!
A. In Wake County, or in that particular election!
Q. In that election.
A. In that election; no, I do not.
[195] Q. Tell me, what is it statistically that causes you
to believe that this does not meet your definition of sub
stantially significant racial polarization in voting!
A. Substantially significant racial polarization in voting
as I have defined it occurs when the differences in the
voting pattern of black voters and white voters are such
that the racial composition of the electorate will affect the
election outcome, that is to say, such that if the election
were held entirely within the members of one community
as opposed to entirely within the members of the othf·r
JA-152
community, the set of candidates who would be elected
would be different.
•
Q. And this is not such an example?
A. That is correct.
• • • • • • •
[203] REDIRECT EXAMINATION 10:27 A.M.
By Ms. Winner:
• •
Q. Dr. Grofman, Mr. Leonard has just taken you through
some eight individual election contests. How do these eight
contests compare to the other 45 contests which you have
analyzed in terms of the degree of racial polarization T
A. They are among the election contests with the least
racial polarization and, indeed, they include the only elec
tion contests in which I have concluded that there is not
substantially significant racial polarization.
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Drawing your attention to plaintiff's exhibit number
15(f) and I am going to briefly go over these in [204] the
same order that Mr. Leonard did.
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Could you point out how white voters ranked the two
black candidates, Kennedy and Houser, in that election T
A. Yes; white voters of the eight candidates in that race
for general election in Forsyth County in November 1982,
white voters ranked the two black candidates seven and
eight-last and next to last-for five seats to be filled.
Q. And how did black voters rank those two candidates
in that election T
A. First and second.
Q. Moving on to plaintiff's exhibit number 16( d) which
is the Durham County June 1982 primaryT
JA-153
A. Yes.
[205] Q. Was it possible in that election for a black can
didate not to be elected T
A. No; it was not.
Q. Why was that!
A. There were four candidates in the race. Two of them
were black. Two of them were white. There were three
seats to be filled, therefore it is mathematically impossible
to have elected fewer than one black candidate since there
were only two white candidates in the race and three seats
to be filled.
Q. What is the percentage of white voters who did not
vote for the black incumbent T
A. Percentage of white voters who did not vote for the
black incumbent is 63 percent.
Q. And what is the percentage of white voters who did
not vote for each of the white incumbents f
A. 32 percent and 33 percent.
• • • • • • • • • •
[214] Q. Now, I believe that yesterday afternoon you
testified concerning plaintiff's exhibit number 19 on cross
examination T
A. Yes; that is correct.
Q. And my recollection is that you testified or that you
agreed with Mr. Leonard that Republicans are unable to
defeat 67 percent of the black Democrats who made it to
general election; is that rightT
A. That is correct.
Q. What is the percentage of white Democrats that Re
publicans are unable to defeatT
A. 88.2.
JA-154
(21~] Q. And do you consider that to be a significant dif
ference!
A. Given the sample size, that is the large number of
cases looked at, yes.
• • • • • • • • • •
[216] Q. Now, on cross-examination you calculated the
average size of a North Carolina house district T
A. Yes; I did.
[217] Q. And that average included all the districts in
the state?
A. That is correct.
Q. Does the fact that average size in North Carolina is
not higher than some or all of those largest averages in
the country change your opinion about whether Mecklen
burg County is an unusually large house district!
A. No, it does not.
Q. Does it change your opinion about whether Forsyth
County is an unusually large house district T
A. No, it does not.
Q. Does it change your opm10n about whether Wake
County is an unusually large house district!
A. No, it does not.
Q. Does it change your opinion about whether the
Wilson-Edgecombe-N ash district is an unusually large
house district T
A. No, it does not.
Q. What is that opinion T
A. That opinion is that all these districts are large house
districts relative to either the average size of the states
with the largest average size house districts or, even more
JA-155
particularly, with respect to North Carolina since North
Carolina four, five, six and eight are higher than 2.91, the
figure calculated for [218] North Carolina.
Q. And drawing your attention to the senate, does the
fact that North Carolina's average senate district--
Judge Phillips: (Interposing) Why don't you shortcut
that and ask him the same question. This is just nails in
the coffin. All of this is in the record and you are simply
trying to emphasize that his conclusion is unchanged.
By Ms. Winner:
Q. Is your conclusion unchanged about the Mecklenburg
Cabarrus senate district T
A. It is not; it is both unchanged and reinforced since
a within North Carolina comparison strengthens the point
made yesterday.
• • • • • • • • • •
[219] EXAMINATION
By Judge Dupree :
Q. I would like to ask Dr. Grofman if the study of the
kind you have made and on which you have based the con
clusions given us assumes that all candidates, regardless
of race, are equally qualified in al] of these elections T
A. It makes no assumptions whatsoever about relative
qualifications of candidates since those, I believe, that judg
ment should be made by voters.
Q. How can you be sure that the election results do not
reflect judgment of the voters as to the relative qualifica
tions of the candidates and not necessarily their racial
preferences?
A. I cannot read the minds of the voters, but when black
voters consistently rank black candidates one or two in
JA-156
their preference ordering and white voters consistently
rank black candidates at the bottom of their preference
ordering in a society which has a history of racial discrimi
nation and in which there~ is clear racial polarization, it
seems to me a plausible, indeed, the most plausible explana
tion is that race is what is determining the elections.
• • • • • • • • •
[224] (VVhereupon
Harry Watson
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 11:01 A.M.
By Ms. Winner:
• • • • • •
[276] Q. VVho won that election f
A. Jesse Helms.
• • • •
Q. VVhat do you conclude about racial involvement in
politics during this time period according to that election f
A. That racial appeals were still a very important
[277] part of the political climate of the state; that they
could be used and were used by leading white candidates
and that the political power of blacks was still so weak
that they could not defeat candidates who took these kinds
of positions .
• • • • • • • • • •
[278] Q. Have you also examined the congressional race
for the second congressional district that happened in
1972T
A. Yes.
Q. VVho were the candidates in that race T
JA-157
A. In the Democratic primary the candidates were Rich
ard L. Fountain and Howard Lee.
Q. And have you examined the election occurring in that
race by countyT
A. Yes.
Q. Where did you obtain those returns f
A. I obtained them from the Durham Morning Herald
coverage of the election after it was over.
Q. Is that a source on which historians normally relyT
A. Yes.
Q. What did you conclude from that analysis of that
election f Before that, what race is Mr. Lee f
A. He is black.
Q. And what race is Mr. Fountain T
A. He is white.
Q. And now what did you conclude from your analysis
[279] of that election 'I
A. I compared the percent voting for Lee with the per
cent of non-white registered voters in each of the counties.
There are 12 countieE in the District. With the exception
of Mr. Lee's home county of Orange County, the propor
tion voting for Lee did not differ from the proportion of
non-white registered voters by more than nine percent and
usually it was much, much closer than that-three per
cent, four percent.
Q. What were the counties in that district at that time f
A. Caswell, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Hanfax,
Nash, Northampton, Orange, Person, Vance, Warren and
Wilson.
JA-158
Q. In paticular, what were the results that you found in
Wilson, Edgecombe and Nash counties 1
A. In Edgecombe, the percent for Lee was 41.2; the
percent of non-white registered voters was 35.6.
In Nash, the percent for Lee was 33.9; the percent of
none-white registered voters was 25.7.
In Wilson, the percent for Lee was 32.4 and the percent
of non-white registered voters was 24.7.
•
Q. And what about in Halifax and Northampton counties 1
A. Sorry. In Halifax, the percent for Lee was [280]
• • • • • • • • •
[281] Q. What were the results of your study with regard
to voter registration T
A. Well, the percent of black voters registered in 1960
was 39.1 percent. The percent of white voters was 92.1
percent. For whites, that was the highest [282] proportion
in the south. For blacks, it was not the highest proportion
in the south .
• • • • • • • • •
[284] By Ms. Winner:
Q. Do you have before you exhibit number 41 T
A. Yes.
(Plaintiff exhibit 41 was marked for identification.)
Q. What is that!
•
A. This is a graph of the number of black officials elected
in North Carolina between 1970 and 1981.
Q. What do you conclude from that graph T
A. Well, the number of black elected officials in 1970
was very, very small. The figures here show that it was
62, I believe.
JA-159
Over the next three years, it more than doubled [285] and
then by 1975 it had quadrupled to something over 200 so
that between 1970 and 1975, the number of black elected
officials in North Carolina increased dramatically.
Thereafter, growth almost stopped except for a jump
between 1977 and 1978. The curve is almost flat thereafter.
Q. And what does that tell you about the extent of elec
tion of blacks in North Carolina T
A. It is still very, very low.
• • • • • • • • • •
[307] Q. Professor Watson, what is your overall conclu
sion about the role of race in North Carolina politics dur
ing the first 75 years of the century!
A. It has been extremely important throughout that
period. Whites continued to be very fearful of the exercise
of political power by blacks and politicians [308] found
that they could appeal to those white fears and win elec
tions on the basis of those appeals. They found indeed that
such appeals were essential to their successs.
Blacks found that they did not have sufficient political
power to counter those appeals or to punish, in effect, the
officeholders or politicians who made them.
Q. What is your overall conclusion about participation
of black people in the political process in this century?
A. Since disfranchisement, it has been very, very low
and it has increased only as a result of the legislative and
political court battles, struggles m Congress and in the
neighborhoods.
• • • • • • • • •
JA-160
[325] (VVhereupon
Paul Luebke
was called as a witness, . duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 3:01 P.M.
By Ms. Guinier:
• • • • • • • • • •
[344i] '' ... Helping to forge city policies of divergent and
sometimes controversial views and ensure public sup
port for them.''
(Pause.)
They go on to say that Mr. Knox is best equipped for that.
It is my professional judgment that the Charlotte Ob
server concluded that a black person could not bring to
gether black and white communities, that you must be white
to bring together black and white communities, an extraor
dinary conclusion in that they have acknowledged that the
black candidate was, in fact, more qualified on the merits.
Judge Phillips: Are you testifying that you think that
that expression of editorial opinion communicates an idea
to voters that has racial significance T
The Witness : Yes, sir.
Judge Phillips: That is your testimony!
The Witness: Yes, sir.
By Ms. Guinier :.
Q. I direct your attention now to plaintiff's exhibit 47
and ask you to describe that.
A. This is an ad by the Knox campaign. The line to
which I draw the court's attention is at the bottom of the
text,
JA-161
[345] ". . . We urge you to vote for a mayor who is
concerned for the total city, not just a few selected
areas.''
These are sophisticated telegrams, I acknowledge, but they
are codes that say, ''Harvey Gantt, a black person, could
only represent a few selected black areas whereas Eddy
Knox, a white man, can represent the total city."
Q. I ask you to describe plaintiff's exhibit 48.
A. 48 is another Knox campaign ad which has brought
together a number of statements including the Charlotte
Observer editorial which I alluded to a few minutes ago.
What we see in this advertisement is that in example after
example, the emphasis is upon all sections of the city, for
example, the Charlotte Weekly Sunday, the third reference
that Eddy Knox has a reputation in all sections of the city.
Quoting from former mayors of Charlotte, the ad goes
on,
''. . . Eddy Knox will serve all the people of Char
lotte.''
Editorial, ''Knox can unify this city.''
Charlotte Weekly Swnday-I 'm sorry. I've got two pages
and I've repeated.
Former city council members and city council commis
sioners write,
[346] " ... He has a compassion for all our citizens,"
Again, a sophisticated telegraph message, but the idea that
to support all citizens, one must be a white.
Judge Dupree : Doesn't every candidate for public office
at any level in the governmental structure always make
that claim?
JA-162
The Witness: Sir, I think not. I think that the emphasis
on selected areas juxtaposed to all the city is a particular
phenomenon of racial politics.
• • • • • • • • • •
[350] Q. I direct your attention to plaintiff's exhibit 50.
Do you have a copy of that in front of you T
A. Yes.
(Plaintiff exhibit 50 was marked for identification.)
Q. Can you identify that document, pleasef
A. Yes; this is a document from the Durham Morning
Herald published in the month before the May, 1980 Demo
cractic primary in which the newspaper reporter summar
izes efforts to elect an all-white Durham County board of
commissioners as well as an all-white Durham County
board of education.
The article takes note of the fact that the all-white elec
toral attempt was in the wake of a successful all-white
election slate elected for city council elections in November
of 1979. This is noted in the third column of the article.
[351] In that election, the "code," the telegraphed issue
was progress and the issue was a low-income black com
munity which was fighting the extension of a highway.
This article links then both the November 1979 successful
attempt to elect an all-white slate as well as a proposed
all-white slate for May, 1980 .
• • • • • • • • •
[352] Ms. Guinier: That is correct, your honor.
By Ms. Guinier:
Q. May I direct your attention to plaintiff's exhibit 51
and ask if you can identify thatT
(Plaintiff's exhibit 51 was marked for identification.)
JA-163
A. It is an advertisement which appeared in the Durham
M or'Yiling Herald on May 4, 1980, on the eve of the May
1980 primary election.
Q. Is this one of the research materials that you have
used in forming your conclusion 1
A. Yes ; it is a campaign advertisement.
Q. And could yon describe this particular document for
us?
A. This is a document which shows a picture of :five
white members of the all-white slate alluded to previously
and urges people to vote for these five candidates.
Q. And what conclusions do yon draw from this particu
lar document?
A. This is not particularly sophisticated. It is merely
saying-it is showing the pictures of five white men and
saying, if yon wish to vote white here is your slate.
[353] Q. Did you also analyze any--
Judge Britt: Just a moment. I want to ask a question.
Do I take it that you feel that the only way that racial
telegraphing could be avoided would be to eliminate photo
graphs from political ads?
The Witness: Sir, I examine these elections in a political
context. I do not mean to suggest that every time a picture
of a white candidate appears that that is racial appeal and
therefore I do not suggest as a remedy that pictures must
be banned from political campaigns. But in the context of
Durham County politics for May 1980, my analysis is that
the use or purpose of placing :five white men's picture in
the paper was to make a racial appeal to white voters.
Judge Britt: You may proceed.
Ms. Guinier: Thank you, your honor.
By Ms. Guinier :
JA-164
Q. Did your analysis of plaintiff's exhibit 51 also include
an analysis of the language that was used in that particular
advertisement T
A. Yes; at the bottom of the ad is a reference to "con
tinued progress in Durham County." This refers to, for
those who are familiar with the context of Durham County
politics, the use of progress as the code word in the N ovem
ber 1970 city council elections which I referred [354] to
previously. So the words, "continued progress-"
Q. (Interposing) What was the date of that election!
A. November 1979.
Q. I'm sorry. Would you repeat thaU
A. November of 1979, and May 1980. "Continued prog
ress," my interpretation of that is to remind voters of the
issues in 1979-fall of 1979 .
• • • • • • • • •
[360] Q. Could you identify plaintiff's exhibit 52 T
A. Yes, rna 'am; this is the letter which was mailed over
the signature of candidate Valentine to "neighbors" in
Wilson, Halifax, Nash and Edgecombe counties. The im
portant points from the standpoint of racial telegraphing
are at the bottom of the page, page one, final paragraph.
The seemingly well-organized block vote-so much so,
the point here, block is spelled correctly, b-1-o-c, the bloc
vote, but for purposes of this letter, the word bloc has been
misspelled b-1-o-c-k so that any kind of casual reading of
this letter could, in fact, be seen as the well-organized
black vote. That is the meaning of part one of that sentence .
• • • • • • • • • •
[361] Judge Phillips: Do you have an opinion based upon
your expertise as to any significance as bearing upon racial
appeals of any of the material in plaintiff's exhibit 52!
JA-165
The Witness: Yes, sir.
Judge Phillips: What is itT
The Witness: If you and your white friends don't vote
on July 27, my opponent's black vote will decide the elec
tion for you.
Judge Phillips: What particular parts of that exhibit do
you point to that are supporting that opinionT
[362] The Witness: I point to the top of page two of
exhibit 52, and to the final paragraph on page one .
• • • • • • • • •
[365] By Ms. Guinier:
Q. You have described a letter sent out by the Valentine
for Congress campaign entitled "Dear Neighbor." Do you
also have the letter which is attached to plaintiff's exhibit
52 whieh was sent out by the Valentine for Congress cam
paign that is addressed, "Dear Fellow Democrats"T
A. Yes, I do.
• • • • • • • • • •
[366] Judge Phillips: Will you identify it by reference
to the exhibitT
The Witness: Yes; I have it as number 52(b).
" ... Dear Fellow Democrat: Tuesday, July 27 is
an important date for Democrats in Durham County."
The final two paragraphs of the first page of that exhibit,
read:
" ... Our polls indicate that the same well-organized
block vote which was so obvious and influential in the
first primary will turn out agarin on July 27. My oppo
nent will again be busing his supporters to the polling
places in record numbers. If you and your friends
don't vote on July 27, my opponent's block vote will
decide the election for you.''
JA-166
By Ms. Guinier:
Q. Dr. Luebke, can you interpret those particular pro
tions that you have just read T
Judge Phillips : Can you give an opinion as to their
capacity to convey a racial appeal in the context!
[367] The Witness: Yes; I can give an opinion.
By Ms. Guinier:
Q. Would you, please T
A. Yes. My opinion is that this is urging white voters to
take note of black voters' prior participation in the :first
primary and that if you and your white friends don't vote
on July 27, my opponent's black bloc vote will decide the
election for you.
• • • • • • • • • •
[385] Judge Phillips: (Interposing) Try to respond to
the question. What, in your opinion1 in this particular ex
hibit constitutes a racial appeal T
The Witness: In context, sir, the picture and the three
final sentences of the advertisement.
By Ms. Guinier:
Q. Can you describe the picture T
[386] A. Yes. The picture is of Governor Hunt and Rev
erend Jesse Jackson meeting in the executive mansion on
March 11, 1983-on March 11th.
Q. Can you or would you please read the three sentences
that in your opinion are a racial appeal T
A. " ... We must register at least 200,000 black voters
in North Carolina in the next two motnhs (Jesse Jackson).
Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. wants the state board of
elections to boost minority voter registration in North
Carolina,''
JA-167
From the Chapel Hill newspaper.
Third, the text of the ad:
'' . . . Ask yourself, 'is this a proper use of taxpayers'
funds¥'"
Q. Why, in your opinion, is the picture a racial appeal f
A. It is a racial appeal because it is drawing to the
attention of the public that an opponent or likely opponent
has a controversial black leader in his office.
Q. In your opinion, what about the three sentences that
you read is a racial appeal T
A. The three sentences which I read draw attention to
the fact that black voters are being registered. And it
questions whether or not it is legitimate for a [387] Gover
nor to support the voter registration of blacks .
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Can you compare the cartoons in plaintiffs ' exhibits
22 and 23 with the political advertisement in plaintiffs'
exhibit 53 (c) f
A. Yes .
• • • • • • • • • •
[388] The Witness : I compare exhibits 22 and 23 and
53(c) and see in the two what I refer to as continuity in
racial politics.
By Ms. Guinier:
Q. What do you mean by that T
A. By "continuity," I mean that themes which were
extremely overt in exhibits 22 and 23, which I recall to be
1898, are subtl~more subtle-in 1983. And yet the content
of the exhibit shows similarities. .
That is, the question is being raise•l whether it is legiti
mate for a Governor who is white to be meeting with a
JA-168
political leader-controversial political leader-who 1s
black.
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 402] Q. The significance in relation to the participation
of blacks and whites in the State of North Carolina T
A. There is a truism--
Judge Phillips: (Interposing) No; no. Just answer her
question, Mr. Witness, if you will. It will go along much
better.
The Witness: Thank you. Could you repeat the question T
By Ms. Guinier:
Q. Yes. What is the significance between the data that
you have examined regarding the demographic status of
blacks and whites in the State of North Carolina and the
participation by blacks and whites in the political process
in this state T
A. The significance is that for all the socioeconomic
measures which I have reviewed, the socioeconomic status
of blacks is lower than the socioeconomic status of whites.
Q. What is the significance of that to the participation
by blacks and whites in the political process in North
Carolina!
A. The significance of that is that a fundamental finding
of political sociology for the United States is that the
lower one's socioeconomic status the less [ 403] likely one
is to participate in the political process .
• • • • • • • • • •
[412] CROSS-EXAMINATION 9:55A.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • • • • • •
[418] Q. Is it your testimony, Dr. Luebke, that two peo
ple looking at a political ad which opposes the busing of
JA-169
school children-that no person could draw a reasonable
inference that that is not a racial appeal!
A. I have testified about racial appeal in the context of
the definition which I use in my work. And your question
is too vague for me because I don't have any examples to
comment as to whether or not it is a racial appeal.
Q. You have testified that you used quantitative method- .
ologies in your professional experience!
A. Uh-huh.
Q. Tell the Court what quantitative methodologies you
used in coming to your opinion with respect to the racial
appeals in the various campaigns that you have testified toT
A. The racial appeals which I have testified about are
based on case study analysis. Those are not quantitative
studies.
Q. Have you interviewed specific individuals to deter
mine the impact of the claimed racial appeal in those
elections!
[ 419] A. I have not relied on my interviews with anyone
to draw my conclusions concerning specific documents
which I have been discussing.
Q. So the ans,.ver to my question is ''no'' 1
A. Yes-yes, no.
Q. Yes, the answer to my question is ''no'' ; is that
correct!
A. I will be 100 percent sure if you repeat that question.
Then I will try to give you that straight "yes-no" that
you are asking for.
Q. Dr. Luebke, is the answer to the question I pro
pounded to you "yes" or "no"!
JA-170
A. But I don't remember that question to which you
want a "yes-no" answer.
Q. Well, viewing the state of the record, I will leave that
question where it is.
(Pause.)
Dr. Luebke, is it fair political comment for one candidate
running for a public office to lay out in a political ad his
background and political experience versus his opponent's!
A. Yes.
Q. And if he compares the public service of the two can
didates, is that fair comment? ·
A. Yes.
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 422] Q. Do those organizations or groups ordinarily put
out a piece of literature in which they carry the pictures
and some information about the slate they are supporting!
A. Yes. It is common.
Q. And is there anything in exhibit 51, which is the ad
in Durham County for the county board of commissioners
of the May 6, 1980, election, other than the pictures ot the
five candidates that you found to be racially telegraphing
or racial telegraphing!
A. Yes.
Q. What else!
A. Based on my experience as a political sociologist re
ferring to-
Q. (Interposing) We know what your experience is. Just
tell me what else in the ad is a racial telegraph other than
the pictures of the candidates, please.
JA-171
A. Yes. "Vote for continued progress in Durham Coun
ty" had meaning in the context of 1970-1980 political con
text of Durham County.
Q. Were any of these candidates incumbents t
A. Yes.
Q. It is not likely that a candidate for public office seek
ing re-election would use the terminology [ 423] "continue
your progress by supporting me'' t
A. In Durham County, the appearance of this ad on
May 4, 1980, is no accident.
Q. Dr. Luebke, I ask you: Is it not usual in politics for
an incumbent seeking re-election to use terminology asking
the electorate to support him for continued progress T
A. Yes. The word "progress" can be used.
Q. Now, do you know who Bill Bell is T
A. Yes.
Q. Who is he!
A. He is the chairman of the county commissioners in
Durham County.
Q. The chairman of the county board of commissioners
in Durham County!
A. Yes.
Q. And when was he elected last T
A. He was last elected in 1982.
Q. And when was he elected before thatt
A. I believe Mr. Bell was first elected in 1972.
Q. Was he elected in the election of 1980!
A. Hewas.
JA-172
Q. Do you know Eleanor SpauldingT
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is she a member of the county board of [ 424] com-
missioners of Durham CountyT
A. She is.
Q. Was she elected or re-elected in the election in 1980!
A. She was.
Q. Is it correct, Doctor Luebke, that in the election in
which this ad was used as one of the tools for this slate
that there were two black people elected to the county
board of commissioners in Durham County!
A. Yes.
Judge Britt: What is your answer?
The witness : Yes.
Judge Britt: You have got to speak out so the reporter
can get it down, Mr. Witness.
The witness: I am sorry, sir-yes.
By Mr. Leonard:
Q. Now, how does one go about getting elected chairman
of the county board in Durham County!
A. It is a vote of the five incumbent commissioners when
they convene the new county commission.
Q. So if there is a contest, the winner has to have at
least three votes; is that right T
A. That is right.
Q. And if Mr. Bell is the chairman of the county board,
he had to have at least three votes to become [425] chair
man; correct T
A. That is correct.
JA-173
Q. Now, what is the mathematical possibility that he
could have been elected chairman of the county board of
Durham County without white support!
A. Which question are you asking, sir-concerning the
election or concerning his election of county commission
to the chair of the county commission 1 Those are two
separate votes. One is a vote of the county commission.
One is a vote of the people.
Q. What is the mathematical possrbility, Dr. Luebke,
that Mr. Bill Bell could have been elected chairman of the
county board of supervisors in Durham County without
white support in the election for chairman 1
A. Zero.
Mr. Leonard: That is all I have .
• • • • • • • • •
REDIRECT EXAMINATION 10:16 A.M .
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 426] By Ms. Guinier:
Q. Is it usual for a candidate to put a picture of his
opponent in his own political advertisement¥
A. It is highly unusual. It represents free publicity un
der normal circumstances.
Q. Now, directing your attention back to plaintiffs' Ex
hibit 51 T
A. Yes.
Q. What was the significance in your opinion to the use
of the word "progress" in that political advertisement!
A. ''Continued progress'' is a statement in the context
of the November 1979 city council election in which an
all-white slate was elected to the Durham city council. The
term "progress" was used consistently in [4271] that cam-
JA-174
paign for public office-the city council campaign. And
"continued progress" is a reference to that success-that
electoral success by that all-white slate.
• • • .. • • • • • •
Phyllis D. Lynch
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 10:20 A.M.
By Ms. Guinier :
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 429] Q. Are you involved in electoral politics in Char
lotte-Mecklenburg!
A. lam.
Q. In what capacity T
A. I am chairman of the Mecklenburg County Board of
Elections. And I also serve as a member of the black polit
ical caucus and belong to the caucus' issues and candidates
committee.
•
Q. How long have you been involved in electoral politics!
A. I have been involved approximately 18 years.
Q. When did you first register to vote T
A. When I was-in 1968 .
• • • • • • • • •
[431] Q. Now, have you encountered any problems as a
member of the black political caucus or in your involve
ment in electoral politics in getting out the black vote!
A. Yes.
Q. What are those problems T
JA-175
[ 432] A. Traditionally, the black community has not been
encouraged to participate in the electoral process. Many
people still feel that literacy test, poll tax-things that
have been removed-are still in existence. And it is a
very slow process to try to educate people that there need
not be a fear of using the voting machine or going down
to vote.
We encounter as we go to talk to individuals in various
places about registration that older people tend to feel
that they had in prior years been told by the whites that
they work for that there was really no need to take an
active involvement in local government; that they would
take care of that for them; anything they needed, to con
tact them.
Many people feel that if the husband is registered to
vote, the wife does not need to register to vote; and that
their children should stay in their place and not try to
cause any trouble. And there has been resistance by blacks
to vote because they felt threatened in some degree.
Q. When you say "threatened," what do you meanT
A. Well, you weren't encouraged to participate. And to
some people it is looked at that if you go out and try to get
people elected to office, that they are not going to respond
to you anyway if they are white; and if [ 433] they are
black, that they are going to going to have conformed to
the degree that they don't relate to you anyway.
Q. You said that a low to medium number of whites
would vote for a black candidate. What following does a
black candidate need to get those white supporters 1
A. The issues and candidates committee has looked at
this very closely because everyone looks for success. Suc
cess in politics is viewed as actually a victory in getting
people elected. So in looJring at this and inquiring, we
have found that whites tend to want blacks to be the pro-
JA-176
fessions, high echelon, have high visibility. And that is
very difficult to acquire.
Blacks have not been in- traditional leadership roles in
the community. So we have not had an opportunity to dem
onstrate our ability to provide the kind of leadership that
people feel that they want to vote for a person for .
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 435] Q. In your opinion, how many times does a black
candidate have to run before they are elected?
A. Unless it is a very unusual circumstance or a person
who has been extremely visible and successful in some
capacity, generally at least two times.
Q. Is this also true of a white candidate who is running
for the state house or state senate T
A. No. There have been white candidates who have at
their first try been able to make it that would have had
fairly equal credentials to blacks who have tried at the
same time.
Q. Have those blacks with the same credentials wonT
A. No. They have not won.
Q. How, in your experience, is a black candidate received
in the white community!
A. Very seldom.
Q. What do you mean by that?
A. Well, I mean that the opportunity-the city of [436]
Charlotte, as can be seen by the exhibit that you had me
point to originally, shows that the black community is still
isolated. We are a progressive city working toward trying
to improve that. But at this time, however, we still have
approximately 90-plus percent of the black community re
siding on the west side of town.
JA-177
So it is very difficult if you live on one side of town, go
to a black church, socialize at a black club, to be invited
over to the white side of town where the white church is,
the white clubs, et cetera; so that it is very seldom.
Q. Are there any other problems that a black candidate
has in getting exposure in the white communityT
A. Yes. The mere fact that, as I mentioned a minute ago,
we are still somewhat a-the mere fact that I can sit here
and say that there is a white side of town and a black side
of town shows that there are some problems that are re
lated specifically to race.
Therefore, individuals who are black and who are seek
ing exposure to get elected have to try to :figure out how
to get invited to various affairs in the white community,
have to :figure out how they can convince the white constit
uent that they are indeed capable of providing leadership.
Generally, there are no blacks that I know of [ 437] who
have headed United Way campaign drives, airport bonds
or things of this nature that would give them the exposure
that the white community normally looks at from the stand
point of leadership. Most whites who are running for office
have been heads of different committees or have very active
roles in leadership positions, demonstrating therefore to
the community that they have the ability to sit on these
elective bodies, make decisions and govern affairs.
It is difficult for blacks to demonstrate that when they
have not had the opportunity to have the same positions
in the community.
Q. Is there any problem in terms of raising moneyT
A. There will be tremendous problems with raising
money. This is one of the things that when we counsel
blacks from the caucus' committee that we emphasize-that
it will take a great deal of money and time and a comm£t
ment on the candidate's part-the prospective candidate's
JA-178
part-to make several sacrifices and more than likely con
tributing money on their own.
Q. Is the problem limited to just raising money7
A. No. Not only do you have to raise money, but you
have to figure out U1e wisest way to expend that money
from the standpoint of using effective publicity [ 438] about
your candidacy and being able to get out into the respec
tive community with your concerns.
Q. Can you give me an example of what you are talking
about in terms of trying to figure out the wisest way to
spend the money?
A. An example would be that in Dr. Bertha Maxwell's
campaign, she was running for the first female-black
female- to run for the North Carolina State House of
Representatives. In the formulation of her strategy the
idea was to use her as a test case to see whether or not we
could bring together what was viewed as very successful
in anybody's campaign-in talking with white public rela
tions firms, what would she need to remove these barriers.
We sought her to run. She had experience from the
standpoint of being visible in the community, having worked
with the school system, having been a professor at the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Having the
title of "doctor" to help legitimize her credentials.
We raised with her assistance well over $20,000 that was
used primarily to purchase large billboards to be put in
the white community, the downtown community; to buy
radio and newspaper advertisements; to present her as a
first-class candidate.
[440] FURTHER PROCEEDINGS 10:55 A.M .
• • • • • • • • •
Q. What was the outcome of Dr. Maxwell's candidacy?
JA-179
[441] A. Dr. Maxwell was victorious in the primary and
defeated in the general election.
Q. What year was thatT
A. 1980-I am sorry-this past election, which was 1982
or 1981, whenever the last general election. This is 1983.
So it would probably be in 1981, I guess.
Q. What has been your experience in getting white poli
ticians to support thhe candidacy of a blackT
A. It has been difficult over the years in trying to get
white politicians to support black candidates.
Q. In your experience with the issues and candidates
committee, do you have a particular function 1
A. Yes. I help to invite white candidates in and set up
appointments for them to speak with the entire body.
Q. What has been your experience in attempting to forge
coalitions with white politicians T
A. The coalitions have not been successful, because a
number of blacks that we have tried to run have not won.
Q. Why have the blacks that you have tried to elect
not wonT
A. They did not get white votes.
Q. Are there any other factors that contribute to the
difficulty in getting blacks elected to office in [ 442] Meck
lenburg County in addition to those that you mentioned 1
A. The biggest factor is getting exposure and convincing
the white voter that there is nothing to fear from having
blacks in elective office.
Q. Is there any difficulty in creating a pool of available
or willing candidates~
A. There is an awful lot of difficulty because, as I men
tioned earlier, success is the factor through which you can
JA-180
get people encouraged to run. When black candidates
when we are unable to point out to black candidates a num
ber of victories, then they don't want to necessarily take
the time.
It is difficult because, number one, you have to identify
a black who can financially go to serve in these respective
offices. Because of the economic situations, many blacks
are not in positions-they are not in jobs that they can be
released from those jobs in order to serve.
Because the positions in North Carolina as a whole pay
really just expenses and a very small amount of money to
those people who serve, you would have to be fairly well
off to offer yourself as a candidate. Many blacks, not being
in that situation-we have to figure out a way that they
can be released from the positions [ 443] they hold and can
financially subsidize their income.
We also have to, because we have not had the experience
of running different campaigns, get people in that can help
them from that standpoint.
Q. What about encouraging people who have sought of
fice and have been defeated?
A. Well, after you have run two or three times and have
not won, you sort of lose your desire to serve.
Q. Do you have any particular examples that you can
point to1
A. Dr. Bertha Maxwell will not run again. Jim Ross,
who was a candidate for the House, will not run again.
There are a number of other people who have indicated
that they would not run for those reasons; or in the process
of trying to win have gone to their heavenly father.
Q. Now, when you say they have indicated that they
would not run for those reasons, what reasons are you
referring to 1
JA-181
A. ·The difficulty in attracting the white vote; the difficul
ty in raising money; the difficulty in projecting yourself
to be the type of individual that is acceptable, regardless of
the credentials that you have and the status that you have
tried to form. Getting out the black vote is a tremendous
_ effort-getting people to register to vote and then follow
up with that and actually vote .
• • • • • • • • •
[ 445] Q. Are these difficulties that you describe for blacks
running for city and county races the same as for blacks
running for the State House or the State Senate¥
A. It appears that it is more difficult to get blacks elected
at the State House and Senate level than it is to get them
elected at the local school board, city council and county
commission level.
Q. Why is thatt
A. First of all, it is a countywide or districtwide elec
tion. If you are running for the State Senate, you must
not only capture the votes in Mecklenburg County, but you
then must go into another county to capture-that sena
torial district is divided.
If you run for the State House, then you must not only
win the city-you have to win the city and the county votes.
An example would be in Dr. MaxwelPs case, she won enough
votes in the city. She lost by same 2,000 votes in the county
because it is very difficult the way the county is laid out.
As you can see, it is rather densely populated. So a person
who must go out in those areas must either have white con
tacts-which the population is a larger white population
than is concentrated in the city.
So you must have contacts out in those areas. [ 446] And
the rural population and their attitudes tend to be a little
bit different than the urban area.
JA-182
Q. Given these problems, what must the black communi
ty do to elect a candidate to represent their interest at the
State House and State Senate level 1
A. They have got to get more black votes to help coun
teract the fact that they can't get white votes.
Q. In your opinion, it is important to elect a black per-
son to represent the black community?
A. I think it is.
Q. Why is thaU
A. First of all, I think that it helps from the standpoint
of making people feel that they have got representation.
Someone there is going to understand their issues and re
late back to it.
When you look at a state race with the candidates going
to Raleigh, coming back only on the weekend, a person
a constituent-not living in the white community may never
see their elected official. A person living in the black com
munity would have to come back to the black community.
And therefore, the likelihood of them being able to relate
to the concerns of the people and being able to even get in
touch with them is going to be greater.
We live in Mecklenburg County approximately [ 447]
three hours from Raleigh. So the likelihood of blacks being
able to go down to Raleigh during the course of the legis
lature is very thin.
Q. Now, looking again at plaintiffs' exhibit-I believe it
is 4(A)-can you identify the area in which most of the
white elected officials live in Mecklenburg County1 If you
want to approach the map if you can't read it--
Judge Phillips: (Interposing) What repreF~entatives are
you asking her to locate?
Ms. Guinier : The State House.
JA-183
By Ms. Guinier:
Q. Just give the name of the area.
A. The majority of the delegation, all white, would tend
to live in the southeast section of the city of Charlotte,
known as the Silk Stocking or Myers Park area .
• • • • • • • • • •
[449] CROSS-EXAMINATION 11:08 A.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
Q. Ms. Lynch, as chairman of the-what is it-the issues
and candidates committee of the political black caucus for
Mecklenburg County?
A. No. I serve as a member of that committee. I am not
the chairman of that committee.
Q. Do you from time to time call the Mecklenburg legis
lative delegation to meetings in Charlotte on the weekends
or when the legislature is not in session?
A. I have had occasion to do that. Yes.
Q. Do you know Representative Louise Brennan T
A. Ido.
Q. Do you know what her phone number is T
A. I can find it, if that is what you mean.
Q. How about the rest of the delegation? Did you have
any trouble finding their phone numbers?
A. No. As chairman of the bpard of elections, we put
out a list that has all those numbers on it. So I could
find it.
Q. So you don't have any difficulty getting in touch with
these members of the House T
JA-184
A. It is my role to get in touch with them. .So I don't
have any difficulty.
[ 450] Q. Does the political black caucus of Mecklenburg
County have any problem getting in touch with these legis
lators!
A. From the standpoint of knowing the phone numbers
and being able to call them-no.
Q. Have they responded when you asked them to come
to meetings of the black political caucus T
Ms. Winner: We object to-
Judge Phillips : (Interposing) Overruled.
The witness : We have not been able to get them to the
degree that we would feel comfortable. We have had some
who are more responsive than others. Yes.
By Mr. Leonard:
Q. Has Representative Brennan been responsive T
A. Yes.
Q. Tell us, in your opinion, of the eight members cur
rently serving from the Mecklenburg delegation who you
feel has been responsive to the black political caucus T
Ms. Winner: Your honor, can we have a standing objec
tion to the relevancy of questions on responsiveness so
that we don't have to keep interrupting the testimony.
Judge Phillips : Well, why don't you state [ 451] the basis T
Do you take the position that there is no relevance to issues
of responsiveness because there is a footnote in the report
that says that unresponsiveness is sought to be proven and
responsiveness can be shown in rebuttal T Is that the basis
of your objection 1
Ms. Winner : That is the general basis of the opinion.
I think the Senate report makes clear that it is the objec-
JA-185
tive rather than the more subjective factors of responsive
ness that are being considered; and that only if the plaintiff
is attempting to prove unresponsivenes may the defendant
rebut by proving responsiveness.
Judge Phillips: We will overrule the objection on that
basis-that is, the objective that the evidence of responsive
ness is not relevant, there being no evidence in the case of
unresponsiveness from the plaintiffs' side. That objection
is overruled and on a continuing basis.
Ms. Winner: Thank you.
Judge Phillips: Also, this is cross-examination. And it
seems to me that the line of direct examination which in
quired very specifically in matters of access to representa
tives has opened this matter for cross-examination irre
spective of responsiveness and unresponsiveness. You may
proceed.
[ 452] By Mr. Leonard:
Q. So you find no difficulty-! am sorry. I forgot the
question. Of the eight members of the Mecklenburg House
delegation, tell us those whom you have no difficulty making
contact with. Ms. Lynch, when I say "you," I mean not
only you because of your position as chairman of the board
of elections, but the black political caucus and those com
mittes which involve themselves with state legislative
matters.
A. The black representative Phil Berry would be the
most responsive in that he attends the black political cau
cus meetings and on a regular basis updates us on legisla
tion that he feels is relevant to the needs of the black com
munity or issues that he feels that he: would like some input
from us as to what our position would be.
Q. Excuse me. Let me interrupt for just one moment.
We will have you go on in just a minute. But in h~s role
as a member of the caucus, does Representative Berry
JA-186
serve as a liaison between the black political caucus and
the Mecklenburg delegation!
A. Not in an official capacity. I am sure that he would
be able to-if asked, I guess, by the delegation-do so. But
we have not asked him to do so.
Q. Well, does he ever indicate to you at your meetings
that he discusses these issues on the agenda [ 453] of your
committee with other members of the delegation!
A. I would-I can remember a couple of incidents that I
have heard him say that-I think they have delegation
meetings. And I would assume that in some of those meet
ings he has indicated concerns.
Q. Tell us what other members of the delegation are
available to you when you look for them or seek them out.
A. In terms of trying to write them, I guess they would
all be equal beyond his level, because generally if we do not
call them we don't hear from them.
Q. When you call them, do they respond to your requests T
A. From the standpoint of being courteous and taking
a telephone message-yes ; from the standpoint of neces
sarily voting in the manner in which we have requested
that could be debatable. And in fairness, we would have to
look at each particular issue that we have asked them to
consider.
Q. Does the Mecklenburg County political caucus keep a
roll call of the eight House members during a session to
determine whether they vote for or against the interests of
the black political caucus from the county?
A. Not an official tally. We have several people that
serve as-I guess you would call it monitors. And [ 454]
they have the information. This information is then
brought to the committee when we get ready to make en
dorsements or whatever.
JA-187
Q. In the 1982 Democratic primary in Mecklenburg Coun
ty, how many candidates that the black political caucus
endorsed won in the primary!
A. You mean the entire-every office t
Q. For the House t
A. Oh, for the House. I think all that we endorsed for
the primary won.
Q. Let me remind you that I believe Mr. Richardson
ran well in 1982 ; didn't he T
A. Well, he won the primary. He didn't win the general.
Q. And in the general election, how many of the candi-
dates that were endorsed by the caucus won!
A. All but Mr. Richardson.
Q. Now, Ms. Lynch--
A. (Interposing) Might I state, too, for clarity: We en
dorsed the Democratic ticket, which consisted of six whites
and two blacks. So six whites won and one black for the
House.
Q. In the general election for the House?
A. In the general election for the House.
Q. And in the primary election for the House in [ 455]
1982, you also endorsed six blacks and two whites; did
you notf
A. No. We endorsed the other way around. We endorsed
six whites and two blacks.
Q. Did I misstate thaU I am sorry. How many votes
did Mr. Richardson lose by in the general election in 1982 f
A. 250 votes.
Q. Out of how manyT
JA-188
A. I think he got 12,000-14,000. I am not really sure.
Q. How many times had he run for public office before!
A. He had not run. This was his first try for public
office.
•
Q. For any public office!
A. For any public office.
• • • • • • • • •
[ 461] Q. In your experience as chairman of the Mecklen
burg County board of elections, do you perceive, Ms. Lynch,
that black people have any difficulty fully and completely
participating in the political process in Mecklenburg
County!
A. Yes. I feel that black people do have some problems
in participating fully in the electoral process.
Q. Be very specific, if you would, with the court. And
tell us what those are.
A. Simply that history and tradition has not encouraged
the black citizens of Mecklenburg County to register and
vote; that many people, as I stated before, are still afraid
of what they will have to face. The literacy rate in Meck
lenburg County is about 50,000 [ 462] people that are illit
erate. Many of those live in the black community. And
many people still feel that they will be asked to read or
write something in order to register to vote. The biggest
problem we have to overcome is to assure them that that is
not the case. And it is a slow process in doing that. But
once it is done, then they tend to come out.
Q. Did the State Board of Elections recently run a pro
gram called a citizens awareness program relating to the
registration of voters in the state!
A. Did indeed.
JA-189
Q. Was Mecklenburg County a major focus of that cam
paign!
A. Mecklenburg County was a major focus of that cam
paign.
Q. Did that campaign result in a substantial increase in
the number of black voters who were registered to vote in
the county!
A. It had-a number of people were registered. But in
view of the fact that there are more unregistered--
Q. (Interposing) Excuse me.
A. I will have to say no. It did not result in substantial,
because there are over 35,000 unregistered.
Q. So there are still 35,000 black people who are eligible
to vote but who are not registered T
[ 463] A. That is correct.
Q. Did that campaign have any impact on your opinion
with respect to the fears and the impediments to blacks 1in
registering to vote T
A. The campaign showed that there was going to be-in
Mecklenburg County, we try to make voting or registration
accessible to everyone. This is what makes it so frustrating
that many people still hold these myths to be true, because
it still makes it difficult to get people to register with a
county that has well over 50 percent of its eligible popula
tion which are black still unregistered.
Q. Well, it is a myth; isn't iU
A. Well, I know it to be a myth since the rule is a rule.
But in trying to convince people who don't know it to be a
myth and who are still questioning whether or not they will
reap some reprisal as a result of that, we run into people
that have served in pris0n or something. And they are con-
, cerned about how they can become full citizens again.
JA-190
Q. Certainly one of the things you have done, Ms. Lynch,
with respect to getting greater black participation and reg
istration is the vote task force!
A. Correct.
Q. And Mr. Reid, who I understand is the next [ 464]
witness, is the chairman of that T
A. That is correct.
Q. Would you point to that as one of the major efforts
that you have undertaken in Mecklenburg County!
A. I would indeed.
Q. Would you say overall that the effort by the State
Board of Elections was one which was designed to try to
improve the participation by blacks in the process?
A. Certainly.
Q. Incidentally, you actively supported representative
Louise Brennan in the last election; didn't you t
A. I supported the Democratic ticket, of which she was
a part.
Q. Did you support her in the primary!
A. I supported the-yes ; I did. I supported all incum
bents.
Q. Did you support Susan Green for county ·commis
sioned
A. I did.
Q. Did you support Pam Patterson for city council!
A. She is my district councilperson. I did.
Q. Did you support Ben Tyson for the State Senate 1
A.. Ben Tyson-yes; I did.
JA-191
Q. I am sorry-Tyson. Did you support Betty [465]
Chapin for the city council!
A. Yes ; I did.
Q. Are all those people white T
A. All those people are white.
Mr. Leonard: That is all.
Ms. Guinier: We have no redirect, your honor.
Judge Phillips : Thank you, Ms. Lynch.
Judge Dupree: Let me ask a question.
EXAMINATION
By Judge Dupree:
Q. You are chairman of the Mecklenburg County board
of elections T
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long have you held a position on the board T
A. I have been the chairman going into my third year .
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 467] Q. Now, this candidate, Dr. Maxwell-she was a
professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte!
A. She is.
Q. Was this the first time that she had run for public
office f
A. It is the first time she had run for public office.
Q. And you say that she does not plan to run again f
A. She does not.
JA-192
Q. Do you know offhand about how her experience in
losing the first time out compares with the candidates of
the other race who lose the first time out!
A. From the standpoint of money and visibility, as I
stated earlier, we try to assess what a first-timer goes
through-which is generally a hard time-getting visibility,
raising money.
We raised over $20,000, which is a very large amount for
a State House race in a county like Mecklenburg, in order
to give her the edge. In comparison, we have had whites
who have had less visibility than Dr. Maxwell, live in other
areas of the community and were still unable to-she was
unable to get elected. And they [ 468] were elected. Repre
sentative Black is one example.
Q. Let me ask you this question: Have you ever known a
white to get defeated the first time out!
A. Not with the money and everything that she had-no.
But I have known of whites who have lost. But it was gen
erally because they didn't have money or visibility or in
roads in the community.
Q. I am just interested in whether or not it is normal for
a person who runs in Mecklenburg County to get elected
the first time out, regardless of race.
A. Depending on the kind of campaign-there are serious
candidates for office. And then there are people that just
sort of want to get out there to get a little exposure. And
maybe they intend to run for another office.
We felt that in Dr. Maxwell's case she was sort of a test
project; that many people have assessed for us why black
candidates lose. Their assessment generally is, ''well, you
all didn't raise enough money. You didn't let the person
receive the kind of visibility they needed," et cetera, et
cetera.
JA-193
So Dr. Maxwell was our test case. She was very well
known in the Charlotte area. She was very well liked in the
Charlotte community. We got the money. We got the
publicity that they advised us. Maybe we just [ 469] had
the wrong consultant. But we followed the advice that was
outlined to aspire you to victory.
Q. She sounds like a highly qualified candidate.
A. She is.
• • • • • • •
[470]
Samuel L. Reid
• •
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 11:40 A.M.
By Ms. Guinier:
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 472] Q. Have you been involved in electoral politics in
Charlotte?
A. Yes; I have.
Q. In what capacity?
A. Last capacity as precinct chairman; second vice chair
man of the Democratic party, Mecklenburg County; special
registrar for the board of elections, Mecklenburg County;
and at present, chairman of the vote task force.
Q. What is the vote task force?
A. The vote task force is an outgrowth of a committee
of the black political caucus which is comprised of volun
teer workers that are concerned about the participation of
blacks in the political process. .
Q. How long has the vote task force been in existence!
JA-194
A. As an official organization, since 1979-'78.
Q. Prior to that time!
A. It was a committee actively encouraging people to
register and vote and trying to stimulate political involve
ment.
• • • • • • • • • •
[479] CROSS EXAMINATION 11:52 A.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
Q. Mr. Reid, how long has your vote task force project
been in existence!
A. Since 1978.
Q. Tell us specifically where you go to register voters
and the procedure of going about doing it.
A. We go all over the city at request. But we initiate
drives primarily in the black community whereas there is a
need for our type services of making voter registration
more accessible to them.
We are special registrars. We make requests on a two
day or a one-day notice to the board in writing that we are
going to be at a certain place at a certain time. Before the
special registrars, you would have to make a written re
quest 14 days prior to the drive. And therefore, a lot of
people felt that-a lot of [ 480] organizations that we come
in contact with plan tonight and want to execute the drive
next week or tomorrow, which is under the guidelines.
Q. Tell us some of the places that you have taken your
vote task force.
A. We work Memorial stadium at the soccer games. We
have registered at gay rallies. We registered at the festival
in the park- just about any and everywhere. And most of
JA-195
our requests come from the black community. But we are
open and we initiate drives in all communities.
Q. But for instance, if a black church is having a picnic
on a Sunday, you make a request to send the vote task
force to the picnic? And you can register people?
A. They make the request.
Q. They make the request to you or to the board T
A. To me. At times they make it to the board. And the
board referred them to me if it is not before 14 days.
Q. Do you have any difficulty . when those requests are
made getting approval from the board T
A. No.
Q. Did you have any difficulty getting members of your
task force group to go those locations T ·
A. None.
Q. How many members on your task force T
[ 481] A. Approximately 15 to 20. Sometimes it swells
up to 50.
Q. Any of them white!
A. Yes.
Q. How many of the 50?
A. Approximately 15.
Q. Do you have any difficulty getting those white mem
bers to go to the black functions to register people?
A. No-not once we pair them off in communities. Are
you talking community drives or clubs or whaU
Q. Anybody!
A. No.
JA-196
Q. Do you ever get any requests from white groups T
A. Yes.
Q. Give us some examples.
A. We did one for the gay and lesbian liberation, UNCC
campus. We done one for the gay, I think, liberation. It
was a club request-the Odyssey club. And we done some
for Sane. We have done a few for a couple other commu
nity organizations. I can't think of the names right now.
Q. How many blacks have been registered in Mecklen
burg County since you started your-that is, new black
voters have been registered-since you started your project
a few years backT
[ 482] A. I would say between 6,000 to 7,000.
Q. I may have misunderstood you. But did you say 6,000
to 7,000!
A. Correct.
Q. Did you take your vote task force into any of the
businesses or industrial plants or work places in the county!
A. No; we haven't. That is something we are working on.
Q. That is part of the overall state board of elections
commission program, though; isn't itt
A. Yes.
Q. Are you part of thaU
A. No; I am not. I am a special registrar. I do not deal
-the board initiates it. As far as high school registration
and all those, those are the board of elections functions.
Q. Are those separate functions from the vote task force?
A. Yes.
Q. So you are not familiar with those¥
JA-197
A. I know the board has registration within the city
concerning high schools and businesses .
• • • • • • • • • •
[ 484] Q. I think everybody would agree you are doing a
great job on a volunteer basis. And you have been regis
tering blacks in Mecklenburg County at a faster rate than
the whites have been registered; have you not 1
A. Correct. That is due because the requests are coming
in more readily now from the black community.
Q. On election day what does the vote task force doT
A. Basically we use the same technique we use in getting
people to register. We go into communities, put on work
shops, letting them know there is nothing to be afraid of to
use the voting machine.
We knock on doors and remind them to go vote, offer
transportation if they need it in the elections community.
Q. And specifically on election day you transport people
to the polls; do you not f
A. We help in that way. We offer rides.
Q. And if I lived in Mecklenburg County and couldn't
get to the polls and called the board of elections, they
would give me your vote task force phone number; right T
A. Right.
[ 485] Q. And the newspaper publishes that numberT
A. Correct.
Q. So anybody in Mecklenburg County who doesn't have
transportation can ·use the resources of the vote task forceT
A. Correct.
• • • • • • • • • •
JA-198
[ 494] (Whereupon,
Robert W. Spearman
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 1'2 :15 P.M.
By Mr. Leonard :
• • • • • • • • • •
[497] Q. Do you now hold a political appointment in the
State of North Carolina T
A. Yes. I am now chairman of the North Carolina state
elections board.
• • • • • • • • • •
[510] A. Well, I became a member of the state board of
elections on November 9th, 1981. Shortly before that, I had
been asked by Governor Hunt if I would be willing to serve
in that position. And I had told him that I would be and
I was interested in it.
And I talked with him some at that point about what I
perceived to be a need to try to increase voter registration
levels in North Carolina.
[511] Then the board members were sworn in on Novem
ber 9th, 1981. And the topic of voter registration was one
of the first items discussed at the first meeting on that day
within the board meeting.
Q. Do you recall what the voter registration statistics
for whites and non-whites were in the state in November
of 1981 T
A. Well, of persons eligible to register, approximately
58.6 percent were, in fact, registered at that time. And I
believe some of the exhibits have that broken down by race.
The percentage of eligible persons registered was higher
JA-199
among the white population than among the black popu
lation.
Approximately 63 percent of voting age whites were
registered, whereas approximately 42.7 percent of voting
age blacks were registered.
• • • • • • • • • •
[543] CROSS-EXAMINATION 2:57 P.M.
By Ms. Winner:
• • • • • • • • • •
[551] Q. All right. Now, you have had complaints from
black citizens around the state about problems they have
had with their local boards of elections; have you notT
A. I have had some.
Q. And in fact, you have had some complaints out of
Durham County; haven't you T
A. Yes.
Q. And the Durham county board is all white; isn't itT
• • • • • • • • • •
[571] Q. But there was a 20 percent gap between the
black registered voters and the white registered voters in
1982 ; wasn't there T
A. There was a gap of approximately 20 percent when
one compares the percentage of white persons of voting
age who were registered with the percentage of black per
sons of voting age who were registered.
Q. At the beginning of 1982!
A. As of February 1982; right.
Q. So if you register 1 percent of those a year, it will
take 20 years to close that gap; is that right!
JA-200
A. If you made up what you describe as-if you closed
1/20th of the gap every year, it would take 20 years. Yes .
• • • • • • • • • •
[584] REDIRECT EXAMINATION
By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • • • • •
[585] A. Well, according to the figures I am looking at,
the total white registration on October 6, 1980, was
2,313,722.
Q. Correct. And what was it on--
A. (Interposing) On October 4, 1982, the total white reg
istration was 2,201,189.
Q. Now, would you subtract the-
A. (Interposing) Well, the difference is approximately ·
112,000, except it is 112,000 fewer whites registered in
October '82 than October '80, according to these figures.
Q. So while the black registration went up between 1980
and '82 by 12,096, the white registration dropped by
112,533; is that correct T
A. That is correct .
• • • • • • • • • •
[589] Q. So that is it correct to state that the actual sub
stantive or proportional increase of registration for blacks
is higher than it is for whitest
A. Yes-of the increase.
Q. Of the increase t
[590] A. In other words; of the increase blacks registered
in an amount greater than their proportion in the popu
lation .
• • • • • • • • • •
JA-201
(Whereupon,
Larry Bunnell Little
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows :)
• • • • • • • • •
[592] Q. Do you currently hold any elective positions 7
A. I am tne alderman of the north ward, Winston-Salem.
Q. What is the racial composition of that ward T
A. My ward is approximately 75 percent black.
Q. Do you hold any special positions on the board of
aldermen of Winston-Salem T
A. I serve as chairman of the aldermen's public works
committee and vice chairman of the aldermen's general
committee.
Q. How did you get selection for those positions 7
A. Well, there were recommendations and votes by the
committee members. The mayor made recommendations.
Then the committee members and the full board had the
final say-so in the adoption of those recommendations .
• • • • • • • • • •
[593] Three members are black, one white. And the general
committee is also three blacks and one white.
• • • • • • • • • •
[595] Q. What is the level of interracial social mixing in
Forsyth CountyT
[596] A. I don't know how to really qualify that. I can
only say my own personal experience from having been
born and reared in Winston-Salem. Essentially we are a
segregated town to the extent that the black community
primarily lives in the east section of the city. And it is
JA-202
referred to not as the black community, but as East Win
ston.
And the living patterns for whites, of course, are in the
western parts of the city. There are some exceptions be
cause blacks do, in fact, live in the western part, but in
very, very small and rare instances.
Insofar as organizations or country clubs, they are still
all white. And religiously probably-well, blacks attend
black churches. And whites attend white churches with the
rare exception perhaps being a few blacks attending the
Catholic church.
Social clubs-there are black social clubs. And there are
white social clubs. And that is not a lot of interracial gath
ering taking place there.
• • • • • • • • •
[617] Q. Did any of those people win in 1978! Did any of
those black candidates win in 1978 T
A. No, In 1978 all blacks running for office lost in For
syth County .
• • • • • • • • •
Q. Did any other black citizens run for public [618] of
fice in Forsyth County in 1980 besides Maizie WoodruffT
A. Yes. In 1980 four black candidates sought office. Maizie
Woodruff, of course, was seeking reelection to the board
of county commissioners. Buford Bailey was seeking to
get back on the school board in 1980. Jean Burkins was
seeking to get elected to a judgeship. And Ann Brown
Kennedy was seeking election to the state house of repre
sentatives. She was presently sitting in the general assem
bly as a result of an appointment to fulfill the unexpired
term of Judson Deramus, who had been appointed to a
judgeship.
Q. And did a Mr. H. B. Goodson also run for office!
JA-203
A. Pardon me. In 1980, H. B. Goodson ran for the county
commissioners.
Q. What happened to Mr. Goodson's candidacy!
A. In the primary-there were three seats available. And
in the first primary Mr. Goodson ran fourth. He ran close
. enough to call for a. runoff election. And he did not call for
a runoff election to the county commissioners.
If I may expound on that, I personally as well as a dele
gation of black leaders in the community went to Mr. Good- _
son and asked him not to call for a runoff in the [619] '80
county commissioners. Our thinking for that was that we
had Jean Bur kens running for judge-district court judge.
We have never in our history elected a black to a district
court judgeship in Forsyth County.
And Ms. Burkens led the first primary in a crowded field.
There would certainly be a runoff, because anytime a black
is in a second-if a white can qualify for a second runoff
against a black, they certainly will. And usually it ends up
being some sort of a racial contest.
And the point I make is that we felt that we had the
best time in our history to elect a black to the district court
judgeship. Her opponent-the person who finished second,
Mr. B. R. Browder-we felt could not muster the support
necessary to overtake her in a runoff. We felt there was a
serious credibility problem. And our own analysis showed
us that many people voted for him thinking they were
voting for his brother, who was more established in the
community.
So our thinking was that if Mr. Goodson called for a
runoff in the county commissioners race, the person he
would have to challenge-Mr. Neil Bettinger, the president
of the Business League of Winston-Salem and a respected
person in the community-could marshal his white sup
porters to the polls.
JA-204:
[62Ql And they probably-being out there voting for Mr.
Bettinger, would probably go along and vote for Browder.
So our thinking to Mr. Goodson was it would be difficult
to heat Mr. Bettinger. But the other risk involved is that
if you bring Bettinger supporters to the poll, that will help
Mr. Browder. And we begged him to consider foregoing
the runoff election so that in the runoff we would just have
two candidates out there. And that would be Ms. Jean
Burkens as well as Mr. B. R. Browder for the district
court judgeship.
Q. And what happened--
Mr. Leonard: (Interposing) Excuse me, counsel. If the
court please, I move to strike that testimony as being highly
speculative, based on probabilities certainly beyond this
witness' ability to predict probability. And the formal
ground is that the testimony is incompetent, irrelevant and
immaterial.
Ms. Winner: May I respond to that!
Judge Phillips: You may.
Ms. Winner: The testimony just offered is not offered to
show the accuracy of Mr. Little's prediction of what would
have happened in that election. I think that that is not
material.
The reason that it is offered is to show the dilemma that
black people are in in Forsyth County. That [621] is, they
have to get a black person not to run in a runoff in order
to protect another black candidate; and that that sort of
dilemma of black candidates itself is material, whether or
not their fear was accurate-or their prediction was ac
curate.
Judge Phillips: I think we understand the general pur
pose for which it was offered. And we will overrule the
objection and will not strike it. But we will consider it and
make a determination of its probative force.
JA-205
Let me say now that it seems to me to be marching fairly
close to the line of relevance. There is just so much in all
of the nuances of every political campaign and the thinking
that is running through the mind of every candidate and
his supporters as it might bear upon the racial problem
and the political scene that the court can absorb and try
to disentangle.
Ms. Winner: Yes, sir. I understand.
By Ms. Winner:
Q. Was Ms. Burkens successful in the primaryT
A. She was successful in the primary. And she won the
runoff.
Q. Was she successful in the general election T
A. No. She was defeated in the general election .
• • • • • •
[625] Q. If the city council had been elected at large,
would you have won¥
A. No; I would not.
Q. Why not?
A. The reason I wouldn't have won is because, first of
all, I don't think I could have run. And the reason I don't
think I could have won is because I have [626] been in the
forefront of a lot of community involvements for better
housing, health conditions. And when you are a black leader
in Winston-Salem, you are very outspoken. And as a result
of being outspoken, you become controversial.
And as a result, it becomes most difficult to receive the
white vote. And so usually when we think of running some
one at large, the first thing we have to look at is, is the
person qualified. And then second, we have to think abo·1t
someone that willnot offend the white citizens or someone
JA-206
who hasn't been in the forefront of community involvement
for public housing and things of this sort.
So we tend to try-when thinking of a county-wide race,
we tend to look for someone who has been just marginally
involved, so that-well, to coin a phrase, we want a moder
ate or a lightweight. In past terms, quite frankly, we look
for countywide races some that are perceived in many in
stances in the black community as our competitors to run
for office.
Ms. Winner: I don't have any other questions.
CROSS-EXAMINATION 9:37A.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • • • • • •
[628] By Mr. Leonard:
Q. Mr. Little, the court record already shows that this
legislative district-house district 39, which is composed
of most of Forsyth County other than these two townships,
which are Salem Chapel and Belews Creek-is 25.1 percent
black. The entire district is 25.1 percent black; and that
there are five members from the district, two of whom are
blackT
A. Yes.
Q. That would indicate to you that the blacks have a
greater proportion of the delegation from Forsyth County
than is their voting strength; would it not T
A. Yes ; that would .
• • • • • • • • • •
[635] Q. So it was in 1982 that you became aware of the
fact that there was an issue concerning multi-member ver
sus single-member districts T
JA-207
A. Well, I have been aware of the issue. We have talked
about the necessity to have single-member districts in the
general assembly, on the county comissioners, on the school
board and throughout for the last 10 to 15 years, because
there is just very little possibility-or at times, we just
can't elect anyone at large.
So we have talked about it. Quite frankly, we just never
thought it would happen. We just thought we would just
never get beyond the talking stages of it. [636] And quite
honestly, I was surprised to S'ee it get this far in the general
assembly.
When I found out about it, I said, "hey, it is great,"
because I had discussed it with a lot of black leaders, minis
ters and others. And so when I found out about it, I imme
diately called representative Spaulding and asked if there
was anything I could do to facilitate the process.
[637] Q. When was thaU
A. It was while the debate was going on in the general
assembly about proposed districts. I called the senator from
our area-senator Dick Bond, who was serving on the com
mittee to discuss that-and told him that the other black
members of the board of aldermen as weli as the Tllack
ministerial association in Winston-Salem strongly favored
single-member districts for the state house.
I sent a telegram to representative Spaulding. And we
also called representative Margaret Tennille to let her know
of our overwhelming sentiments for that. And I also
called-well, he wasn't there at that time. But I called
C. B. Houser about it.
Q. C. B. wasn't a member of the legislature T
A. No. He wasn't a member of the legislature. But I knew
he was running for the legislature. And so I thought I
would, you know, give him a call.
JA-208
Q. What position did C. B. Houser take!
A. When I informed Mr. Houser of the sentiments from
the blacks on the board of aldermen and the black ministers,
he told me he had not looked at it properly; and that he
could see some sentiments for the [638] single-member
district.
And I asked him, "well, why don't you make a statement
to that effect!" And he said when he :first got a glimpse
of the single-member district-and he told me in the con
versation that he really hadn't studied it that far or thor
oughly; but that he-with the information I had given him
of the sentiments and how we felt in the community, Mr.
Houser said that he agreed with that. But he didn't know
how to take a position today that was contrary to what he
had said yesterday.
But he would try to :figure out a way that he could state
his opposition-his preference-for single-member _dis
tricts. That is what he told me.
I may add, counsel, that after that-that conversation
that representative Houser and I had and others talked to
him about it-I think he later felt that it would be political
ly bad for him to take a stand in favor of single-member
districts because he said he thought it would cost him
white votes. And he needed white votes to win. So he backed
away from what he had agreed to do .
• • • • • • • • •
[642] By Judge Dupree :
Q. You referred to a representative Tennille, is itT
[643] A. Yes-Margaret Tennille.
Q. What is her race!
A. White.
•
JA-209
Q. And she took the position on the single-member dis
trict question that it .would be better not to adopt it, since
it would enhance the chances of Republicans T
A. Correct.
Q. So as between enhancing the rights or the chances of
the blacks and the Republicans, she chose to go with the
system that would be against the Republicans T
A. Against the Republicans and against the blacks.
Q. Against the blacks, but instead of going for the blacks T -
A. Yes. And quite frankly, your honor, if I may ex-
pound, that was a dilemma that we all considered. And we
looked at it and said, "we need representation. And we
don't need in 1983 ''--
Q. (Interposing) You were willing to take your chances
against the Republicans T
A. Oh, yes. But we just wanted to be in the halls so that
we could be a part of the debate . .And right now, it is a hit
and miss proposition. And most of the times, we miss
as with the school board, the county commissioners. Usual
ly we-as I stated, until last year blacks were not elected
to any office in [644] Forsyth County outside of the board
of aldermen.
Judge Phillips: Do you think the Democrats and Repub
licans in Forsyth County might also say that in recent
history it has been a hit or miss proposition for them as
Democrats or Republicans?
The Witness: Oh, for Republicans it has been less than
a hit and miss. For Democrats, it has been almost a sure
thing.
• • • • • • • • • •
JA-210
[645] (VVhereupon,
Willie Lovett
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 10:02 A.M.
By Ms. Winner:
• • • • • • • • • •
[646] Q. Can you describe for the Court your involvement
in politics in Durham CountyT
A. Presently I am chairman of the Durham Committee
on the Affairs of Black People. And I have held that posi
tion for two and a half or three years. Before that, I was
co-chair of the political committee for a couple of years.
I was also the chairman of the Democratic party from
1977 to 1979 and the first vice chair from '79 to '81.
Q. VVhat is the membership of the Durham Committee
on the Affairs of Black PeopleT
A. That is a number that I can't give you becaus·e I don't
know. The way we operate is that any person who is inter
ested can participate in the organization, can get on the
mailing list by attending the meetings. So we don't have
membership dues as such. So that is difficult to assess.
The impact and the responsiveness in the community to
the Durham committee and its recommendations and its
programs is rather massive .
• • • • • • • • •
[652] Q. Do you think that it is important for black people
to have black representatives T
A. First of all, it is important for black people to have
representation-what I call true representation, be that
black or white.
JA-211
Q: What does that mean to you 1
A. The tendency is that if an elected official does not feel
accountable to that segment of the population, then the
likelihood of the responsiveness to problems will be dimin
ished as compared to a person who is truly represented by
that community in the sense that that community could
determine whether or not that person serves or not.
Common sense and actual experience says that that re
sponsiveness would be different. So from that point of view,
the black community needs true representation. I think that
a black person in most cases would [653] have more first
hand knowledge and would be more accessible in that kind
of situation than the typical white person, because the white
person is not going to live generally within the inner area
of that district. He may be on the fringes of that district.
In addition to that, I think that the perception from the
black community itself that "I have a representation. I
have somebody that I can go to" is there if that person
is black moreso that if that person is white.
So these are realities that we have seen from experience.
And I think they are true. And I think that they can be
demonstrated.
Q. Have you been involved in any voter registration ef
forts in Durham CountyT
A. I have been involved in many voter registration efforts
from the days when I was precinct chair in Pearson town
precinct, number 34, for about five years; as co-chair of
the political committee. And even today we are constantly
trying to increase registration and make registration more
accessible; but more importantly, to convince citizens that
reigstration is not the major problem that some of them
perceive. And this comes as a result of a long history of
problems in registration and the treatment that citizens
receive when they attempt to [654] register.
JA-212
So it is two sides to that coin: accessibility in process
and procedures and the perception on the part of the citi
zens who are not registered that this is not that bad. It is
not going to be a problem. You aren't going to be intimi
dated. So we fight both battles in Durham. And we still do .
• • • • • • • • • •
[655] Q. Can you describe the method or the way one had
to-strike that. Can you describe when you were involved
in voter registration in the late sixties and early seventies
what was the method for registeringY
A. Initially when I first became involved, the registra
tion-there were two opportunities to register people : one
at the board of elections office at any time, which is typi
cally from 8 :00 to 5:00 or whatever. And then there were
three Saturdays prior to an election where registrars :would
be at each of the polling places to register people.
That was basically-those were the two ways that you
. could register. And tl1is was during the time between 1966
and 1972, most of that time when I was precinct chair.
Later the process was changed so that there could be
special registration drives under certain circumstances.
Q. Before you go on, let me ask you a question about the
prior period. Did the system of elections and registration
at the board of elections pose any particular problems for
black people 1
A. Well, generally, anytime you have registration being
conducted during office hours and most people are working
and don't get paid and don't have the opportunity
• • • • • • • • • •
[664] Q. How does at large voting in Durham County
operate as a barrier to the election of black people 1
JA-213
A. At large voting-! guess I can describe that by de
scribing the situation that exists today and try to relate
how that ties back to at large voting. But first of all, there
is a high degree of--there is a racial issue interjected
in most elections in Durham County.
"Where there is competition and where we have oppo
nents, the media does a job in that regard that really adds
to that situation. The record will show that only a certain
percentage of whites tend to vote for black candidates.
And that varies depending upon whether there is opposi
tion of not and how well contested it is. But even when
there is no opposition, you have a certain percentage of
whites who don't vote for black candidates, even though
there is no one else to vote for.
Q. "When you said the media contributes, what did you
mean by that T
[665] A. They tend to build up the racial aspects. In fact,
in every article where there is a black candidate running,
the point is always made that "Mr. Lovett, who is black."
really building up the racial identity of the candidate and
really adding to the racial thrust that is already there.
And Durham has had a long history of that-the Durham
media.
Q. Are there any other barriers that you perceive in an
at large system T
A. Well, first of all, you have to run citywide. And that
requires more effort on the candidate who is running, more
money, cover a broader area. We have some 100,000 people
in the city of Durham-in excess of 100,000-108,000. And
it covers quite an area.
So from the standpoint of being able to cover the area,
it is expensive and time consuming. In addition to that,
because of what I said about the tendency for whites in
large numbers-and I always say that chere are exceptions.
JA-214
And what I am really talking about is about 20 percent in
the best situation would vote for a black candidate based
upon the numbers I have seen.
Because of that factor, the perception is that the only
way you can win an election is to be able to appeal to a
large segment of white voters in order to win. So therefore,
you limit the number and types of [666] candidates that
you can get to run.
Just to cite the state house as an example, to my knowl
edge we have only had three persons to run for that posi
tion-three, maybe four-three that I know about. And all
of those have had similar backgrounds.
Q. What is the background 7
A. Well, you need to be in business or you need to be
a lawyer. You need to have-the distinction between black
candidates and white candidates in that regard-in addition
to those two, you have to have something else going for
you like a naine, well-known, you know; contrasted to white
candidates who are lawyers and who have the money and
the time to get off, they don't always require that name
recognition and the, you know, super kind of person.
And I think the record will speak for that as well, if you
look at people who are currently serving in the legislature.
Q. Is there a method of election that you think will solve
that problem 7
A. Single-member districts, I think, would minimize the
problem in the sense that you have a smaller area to deal
with. You would have an opportunity-the perception of
having to get so many white votes would be minimized to
the extent that you would probably have more [667] candi
dates running.
For example, I would not run because I have-the per
ception in my mind is because I am so outspoken and really
JA-215
involved that I couldn't get large numbers of white folk
to vote for me. So I would not run for the state house today
or tomorrow or any other time in the foreseeable future,
as an example.
Q. When you say you wouldn't run, do you mean you
would not run in an at-large-
A. (Interposing) That is exactly right .
• • • • • • • • • •
[694] REDIRECT EXAMINATION 11:28 A.M.
By Ms. Winner:
• • • • • • • • • •
[695] (Whereupon,
G. K. Butterfield, Jr.
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 11 :30 A.M.
By Ms. Winner:
Q. Will you state your name, please¥
A. G. K. Butterfield, Jr.
Q. What is your address, Mr. Butterfield 7
A. 1001 West Vance Street; Wilson, North Carolina.
Q. How long have you lived in Wilson 7
A. I have lived in Wilson all of my life with the excep
tion of a period of time in which I was away for my higher
education and when I was in the military.
Q. What is your occupation T
JA-216
A . . I am an attorney.
Q. For the record, what is your race!
[696] A. I am black.
Q. And your age!
A. 36.
Q. What is the racial composition of your clientele!
A. In my law practice!
Q. Yes!
A. I would say 95 percent black.
Q. Do you belong to any professional associations!
A. Yes. I belong to the American Bar Association; the
National Bar Association; the North Carolina Association
of Black Lawyers, of which I am the president; the North
Carolina State Bar. That is about it.
Q. What is the National Bar Association!
A. That is a predominantly black national organization
of black attorneys.
Q. Can you describe for the Court your involvement in
politics in Wilson County!
Mr. Leonard: If the Court please, so that the record is
clear-! believe this issue has come up before. But the
state is going to object to any testimony with respect to
these covered counties, unless it is offered by the plaintiffs
with respect to their 14th Amendment claim versus their
statutory claim, on the ground that the statutory issue has
been decided [697] pursuant to Section 5 of the Voting
Rights Act; and that this Court has no jurisdiction to retry
the statutory issues.
Judge Phillips: We will receive the evidence <;ubject to
that objection. And we will give a clear indication in any-
JA-217
thing that we say as to the way we considered the evi~ence.
So you will be protected.
Mr. Leonard: Thank you, your honor.
Ms. Winner: Your honor, perhaps not now-but we were
not aware of that issue until we received-actually until a
day before we received the brief. May we have some oppor
tunity at some time to address that issue!
Judge Phillips: Before this Court says anything about
this issue, there will be an opportunity for both sides to
address it with memoranda.
Ms. Winner: Thank you.
By Ms. Winner:
Q. Mr. Butterfield, will you describe your involvement
in the electoral politics in Wilson County!
A. I would say that my political involvement goes back
to 1953.
Q. How old were you at that timeT
A. I was six years of age.
Q. What was your involvement then 1
[698] A. My father ran for the board of aldermen in
Wilson as the first black to ever offer himself for that posi
tion. And so I can probably with accuracy trace the political
developments in Wilson from 1953 up to the current time.
Q. What happened to your father's candidacy!
A. In 1953 the city of Wilson utilized single-member dis
tricts for the board of aldermen-a pure single-member
district plan. We had six aldermen, each elected from a
single district.
And my father ran from district 3, which at the time had
grown to a population or at least a voter registration of
JA-218
about 50 percent bla~k. And there was a tie vote for the
board of aldermen.
And to resolve the tie, the two names were deposited into
a hat. And a child drew names. And my father's name was
selected. And so he became a city a]derman in 1953.
Q. How long was he a city alderman T
A. They had two-year terms at that time. And of course,
they still do have two-year terms. He ran again in 1955 and
was re-elected in 1955 from the third ward. And after his
second election, he was appointed the chairman of the
budget committee for the city. This was in 1955.
[699] Q. What happened to the form of government in
the city of Wilson after thaU
A. It was changed suddenly between the 1955 and the
1957 election to an at-large system of elections, which is
the current system we have today. And he was defeated in
1957.
Q. Did he run at large in 19571
A. He ran at large in 1957 and came in last place.
Q. When was the next time somebody black was elected
to the city council or the board of aldermen of the city of
Wilson1
A. 1975 .
"' • • • • • • • • •
[701] Q. How many members does the Wilson County
people--
A. (Interposing) For progress.
Q. How many members does that have T
A. We have unlimited membership. It is open to any
person who has an interest in the affairs of black people
JA-219
in the city and county of Wilson. It is not restricted to race.
However, the organization at the present time is all black
and has been in existence now for about four years. I do
not hold an office at the present time except to serve on
the political action committee.
• • • • • • • • • •
[702] Q. What is the level of social integration in Wilson
CountyT
A. I would say it is practically non-existent. There are
exceptions. But essentially there is no social integration of
clubs and other organizations that exist in the community.
Q. Are churches in Wilson County integrated T
A. No. I know one person who belongs to an all-white
church. But except for that one exception, the churches are
segregated, as well as many other phases of community
life.
Q. Are there country clubs in Wilson County!
A. There are ; yes.
Q. What is their level of integration f
A. To my knowledge, there are nQ black members of any
of the country clubs in Wilson.
[703] Q. Can you describe the residential-the racial
segregation or integration of residences in Wilson County!
A. We primarily have two communities, one black and
one white. In rec~mt years, there has been some tendency to
integrate some of the formerly segregated communities.
But to put it on the map and to look at it, there are two
distinct communities, one black and one white, divided by
a railroad track.
• • • • • • • • • •
JA-220
[704] Q. Have you been involved in any efforts to get
black citizens to register to vote t
A. I have. I have been very active in the voter registra
tion arena and have been for some time.
Q. How early did you begin those efforts t
A. I would say around 1968, when a group of us walked
from Raleigh to Wilson in an effort to stimulate voter
registration-not only in Wilson, but in eastern North
Carolina. That was my first major involvement in voter
registration.
Q. How were you allowed to register in 1968 in Wilson
County!
A. In 1968 and up until recently, I might say, the philos
ophy of the Wilson County Board of Elections was not to
allow voter registration outside of the courthouse--the
county courthouse. We tried on many occasions to persuade
the County Board of Elections to decentralize the voter
registration process and to allow registration on weekends
and after hours and by deputy registrars.
[705] And we were met with resistance for years and
years. And we were told that the officials did not believe in
registration outside of the courthouse. They felt as though
that if black people were unwilling to make the sacrifice
and come to the courthouse for 15 minutes in order to regis
ter, then the board of elections should not make that process
more available.
Q. Now, what particular problems for black people did
courthouse registration presenU
A. I know of three problems. There may be others. But
I know of three directly. One is that many black people
work 9 :00 to 5 :00-8 :00 to 5 :00-and are unable to get off
to come to the courthouse for the purpose of registration.
That would be one reason.
JA-221
A second reason is the matter of transportation. We
have a very large county. And Stantonsburg, for example,
is about 20 minutes from the courthouse. And transporta
tion is a problem. Many people do not have cars and do
not have access to other means of transportation. And so
it becomes a very difficult task to get to the courthouse.
The third reason, which I think is as important as any
of the others that have been stated, is that many people
black people, particularly elderly black people-are afraid
of the courthouse. That may sound [706] absurd. But in
dealing with illiterate, elderly black people, we find this
awful fear of the courthouse because, you know-some of
the reasons that I have heard, they say that they remember
all white juries. They remember when black people had to
sit on one side of the courtroom. And white people had to
sit on the other side of the courtroom.
The sheriff is white-always has been-the clerk of court,
register of deeds, tax collector, tax supervisor. And so there
is an equation made by elderly black-and I see this more
in elderly than I do younger blacks-that there is some
thing to fear about the courthouse. And so many people
for that one reason do not make the trip to the courthouse.
Judge Phillips: Are you describing a present situation
or are you responding to the situation as it existed at the
time you describe of courthouse registration onlyT
The Witness: No, sir. Some of that exists today. But I
did say that it is more prevalent among 55 year olds and
older, I would say.
By Ms. Winner:
Q. When was voter registration first allowed outside of
the courthouse T
A. Several years ago-I would say in the late [707] sev
enties-the general assmebly made it possible for registrars
of the various precincts to be authorized to register persons
JA-222
to vote. And so our focus then became to get some black
registrars in the various precincts who could register peo
ple to vote. And so the first effort was, I would say, 1978.
Q. What were the results of your effort to get black
registrars t
A. We were able to get two or three black registrars
one in an all-black precinct and two others in 50-50 type
precincts. But those registrars at that time were restricted
to registration within their precinct. And so they could not
cross the precinct boundaries.
Q. What problem did that present!
A. That meant that the registration by these officials had
to be concentrated in their home community. And they
could not go to large gatherings, such as churches and
picnics and other places where people from all over came.
Q. Did you or other members of the black community
try to expand the registration opportunities of precinct
registrars T
A. Yes. We approached the board of elections and asked
that the restriction be dropped so that registrars [708] and
judges could travel throughout the county without restric
tions. And we were opposed, because the officials felt as
though the registration should only take place in the regis
trar's precinct and should not be elsewhere.
And that was the steadfast philosophy of the county
board of elections-that they would not make registration
any more convenient than they had to by law. And that
continued up until the citizen awareness year came about
from the state board of elections. That is when it began to
change.
Q. What year was thatT
A. 1982-last year.
JA-223
Q. All right. Now, are there any special registrars in
Wilson County!
A. The 1981 general assembly mandated that each county
with 15 or more precincts would have at least two regis
trars, two deputy-well, special registration commission
ers--one Democrat and one Republican.
And that is what was appointed-one Democrat and one
Republican-even though the black community had re
quested that numerous special registration commissioners
be appointed. They only did what the law required them to
do.
Q. Now, after the precinct registrars were allowed to
register people outside of their precincts, have [709] there
been some further efforts to register voters in Wilson
CountyT
A. In 1982 the Wilson County People for Progress em
barked upon a massive voter registration drive. It was,
I suggest, in response to the candidacy of Mr. Michaux,
who was running for Congress. And the organization was
very successful in registering, some say, 2,000 black people
within a six-week span of time just prior to the 1982
primary.
Q. What was the response of the board of elections to
that registration effort!
A. Well, there was no response while it was in progress.
But two days after the election, the board of elections at
the canvass-after each election there is a canvass, two
days after the election. At the canvass meeting of the board
of elections, the board of elections changed the policy and
the procedures for massive registration.
And the new procedures to be followed in the future after
that meeting were to be as follows. There had to be a six
day notice before there was any mass registration. The
notice had to contain the date, the time, the place and who
JA-224
was to be present for the mass registration. It also reduced
the compensation that registrars and judges and special
registration [710] commissioners were to receive from 50
cents per voter to 25 cents per voter.
And these new rules were promulgated two days after
the Michaux election and were placed into effect. I might
say, for fairness, they were not enforced because a com
plaint was made to the Justice Department by the black
community. And the Justice Department said to the board
of elections that these changes were subject to pre-clear
ance. And so they have not been enforced.
Q. Have they been submitted T
A. No. They have not been submitted. Now, in preparing
the budget for '83-84, the compensation aspect of compen
sating the registrars has been completely eliminated now.
So registrars in the next :fiscal year will receive no com
pensation whatsoever for registering persons to vote,
whereas before it was 50 cents.
Q. What are the current barriers to registration of black
people that you perceive in Wilson County!
A. There are no legal barriers existing in our community.
Registration now is easier than it ever has been in our
county. There are some psychological barriers to voter
registration which still persist.
Q. What are those psychological barriers t
A. One psychological barrier is that there is ·a belief
on the part of many people that politics will- [711] one's
participation in politics will make no difference in their
individual lives and in the lives of their families. And so
it i1s a complete waste of time to get involved in the political
process.
That is a perception that is ill-founded. But many people
believe that it will make no difference 1f they get involved.
That is one.
JA-225
The second thing is that, as I alluded to earlier, the prob
lem of the courthouse barrier. Many people simply don't
want to go to the courthouse. In my precinct, precinct 3,
not only is the board of elections housed in the courthouse,
but we vote in the courthouse. That is the polling place for
that precinct.
And it is a large black precinct. And it is in the heart
of the black community-not the courthouse. But the peo
ple who vote reside in a very compact area. And many
people have told me, "I don't want to go to the courthouse.
I am 70 years old. I have never been to the courthouse be
fore. And I am not going now." And that is a barrier.
Another barrier is that most all the polling places are
located in white communities. And so the black person has
to travel long distances to get to the polling place. And in
our city-you would have to see the precinct map to really
understand it. But we have [712] what we call two-mile
islands. You know, we have precincts that are two miles
long and two blocks in width. And so it is liJ{e a cane. And
so the furthest points in some of the precincts are two
miles apart, which means that the person has to travel
perhaps a mile to get to the polling place. And that is a
barrier.
Q. Do those precincts extend into the black community
and into the white community?
A. Yes. As I testified earlier, the railroad track divides
the two communities. And the precinct boundaries, which
were created back in the forties, I guess, run from east to
west in the opposite direction than the railroad track. And
so they extend throughout the city in a very narrow strip.
And it has the effect of requiring persons who reside in
those precincts to travel long distances to vote. And there
is no commonality in those precincts. There is a very poor
JA-226
black area in the precinct and a very wealthy element in
the white community.
Q. In your opinion, what would help encourage black
voter registration in Wilson County!
-
A. One thing that would help improve is if we could see
the presence of black office holders. That would be a stimu
lus in creating the desire on the part of black people to get
registered to vote, if they could [713] see persons who can
be successful in the electoral process.
Q. What is the extent of election of black people in
Wilson County!
A. There have been a few. They have been very limited.
We have one black elected to the board of education who
was elected in 1970 and was re-elected in 1982. And that
sounds odd. But there was a reorganization in the process.
And he did not have to run again until 1982.
Q. How many members are on the Wilson County Board
of Education T
A. Nine.
Q. What is the black population in Wilson CountyT
A. 361;2 percent.
Q. Are there any other black elected officials in Wilson
County!
A. We have one black on the city council.
Q. Out of how many members T
A. Out of six councilmembers-one out of six.
Q. What is the black population of the city of Wilson T
A. 40.27 percent.
Q. Are there any other black elected officials in Wilson
County!
JA-227
[714] A. No. We have never had a black elected in the
history of the county to the board of commissioners. We
have tried and have failed. We have never had a sheriff
or any of the other elected positions, except the city coun
cil and the board of education.
Q. Have you been involved in any efforts to recruit black
candidates T
A. Every election we attempt to recruit black candidates
to run for public office. And we have a tremendous amount
of difficulty in doing this, because the more qualified
and I use those words very carefully. But the more qualified
black candidates who would be acceptable to the black com
munity do not want to run.
And the stated reason is that, "I can't win. Why should
I - run if I can't win T '' That is always the response that we
get. And so it is very difficult to encourage people to run
for public office.
Q. Are you familiar with the current house of represent-
atives district which contains Wilson County!
A. Yes. We reside in the 8th district.
Q. What else is in that districtt
A. Wilson, Nash and Edgecombe counties.
Q. Do you know whether there has ever been a black
representative from that district T
A. There has never been, to my knowledge.
• • • • • • • • • •
[715] By Ms. Winner:
Q. Are you aware of the-do you think that there is a
system or a method of electing the representatives from
that district which would be better for the black com
munityT
JA-228
A. Yes.
[716] Q. What is that method f
A. I have looked at the 8th district very carefully. And
I have looked at it for some time, even before it became
known as the 8th district. It was the 7th district, still com
prised of the same three counties.
And I have tried to figure out whether or not black candi
dates for the state hm~se could be successful in this three
county area. And while I am not prepared to say that abso
lutely no black could ever be elected in this four-member
district, I am willing to say that it would almost take a
minor miracle for it to happen.
It would have to take a combination of certain variables
falling in place. One variable would have to be a low white
turnout; a high black turnout; a solid, single-shot vote by
the black community; and a very attractive black candidate
to the white comunity; and the pre~ence of eight or ten or
maybe twelve persons running for four seats.
If all of those variables fell in place, it is my opinion
that a black candidate would be able to, not win the election,
but at least to place sufficient to be in a runoff. What would
happen in the runoff, I don't know. But I don't believe a
black person could get a clear majority, even assuming
those variables to be in place, in a primary .
• • • • • • • • • •
[737] (Whereupon,
Fred Belfield, Jr.
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 2 :02 P.M .
• • • • • • • • • •
By Ms. Winner:
JA-229
[738] Q. Are you currently a member of any organiza
tions!
A. Well, I am a member of the NAACP, Y Men's Club.
Those are the two civic groups I am a member of.
Q. Have you held any positions in the NAACP!
A. Yes; I have.
Q. What position is thaU
A. Well, I have held the position of president for ten
years.
Q. What branch is that 1
A. That is the Rocky Mount branch of the NAACP.
Q. What years were you presidenU
A. I was president from '68 to '76 and then again from
'78 to '80.
• • • • • • • • • •
[747] Q. What are the current barriers to getting black
people to register in Edgecombe County and in Rocky
Mount?
A. Well, transportation. Another barrier would be fear.
Q. Fear of whaU
A. Well, fear of the process. Obviously, people who have
never registered, based on conversations with some of them
and especially the older people-! would say people above
50 who have been around and who can remember back in
the forties and fifties how difficult it was to register to
vote-still aren't sure that when they go down to register,
even though you tell them that you don't have to worry
about reading the constitution or a portion of the constitu
tion or the literacy test-they are not sure that you are
telling the truth; :hat I may have to do more than just sign
the voter registration card after I have been asked the
proper information.
JA-230
Another barrier is when you don't get full cooperation
out of the registrars.
Q. What do you mean by that?
A. Well, registrars can be out of place. For example,
if you are trying to register people when you don't have a
specific, designated day, you may or may not find them.
And that could be a barrier.
[7 48] And another one is-well, I believe I said it. But
I will say it again-lack of cooperation.
Q. Lack of cooperation from whom T
A. The registrar.
Q. What is it that they do that is not cooperative?
A. Not making themselves available; or-well, here is
another one that you get sometime: "I am out of cards.
I have to wait until the executive of the board of elections
sends me some more cards.''
Q. Is there anyplace in Edgecombe County other than the
city hall-any public place in Edgecombe County other
than the city hall and the board of elections-that you can
regularly register T
A. Public places T
Q. Yes, sir.
A. Not that I know of. We do have floating registrars
that they allow to-I am not sure of that total number. But
I know in my precinct, which is probably the largest one
in Edgecombe County~ we do have two floating registrars
allowed to float anywhere in that precinct wherever people
are concentrated.
If there is an activity going on, they can go to this and
register people. But county widespread-! am not sure
that they do that. In fact, I would be [749] inclined to be-
JA-231
lieve that they don't allow it, because complaints were filed
in 1982 with the justice department in connection with lack
of cooperation.
• • • • • • • • •
[750] Q. Are you familiar with how the media dealt with
that election T
A. Well, every time I picked up the paper and read any
thing coming from the news media, it always emphasized
Michaux as the black candidate who is seeking to become
the first black elected congressman from North Carolina
since reconstruction.
Q. Was that limited to the newspapers?
A. Well, all news media-radio and TV.
Q. How does the media in those two counties treat white
candidates t
Well, they just list them as a candidate. They don't
emphasize race.
• • • • • • • • • •
[753] Q. Do you think it is important for black people
to have black representatives T
A. I think so.
Q. WhyT
A. For a number of reasons. Number one, I think it is
a good role model for our young people growing up. It gives
them some incentive to want to participate and get involved
in local government, state government and national gov
ernment.
Another reason is I think that the black views need to be
heard on all levels about all the issues involved. For ex
ample, I can think of the ERA issue. Blacks were never
JA-232
consulted, to my knowledge-those that I have asked; nor
have I :ever been consulted by any politician as to what are
your views on that. That is an emotional issue. We were
just bypassed.
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Do you think that white elected officials can represent
the black community!
[754] A. It is possible for some that are willing to closely
align themselves with the black community. But most poli
ticians tend to shy away from that because they don't
want to be branded as a black lover, which another candi
date with a more conservative view can use that to defeat
him.
• • • • • • • • • •
[763] I see. But whenever in eastern North Carolina the
people have a choice about these matters, they usually are
still lined up along racial lines ; aren't they-in club mem
berships and things T
A. Mostly. We organized a new 4-H club in Nash County
this year that is integrated out there in the community.
But it is a small-it is a slow process.
Q. It is v:ery gradual; isn't it-the process of integrating
all of these activities T
A. Very slow; yeah .
• • • • • • • • • •
[765] (Whereupon,
Joe P. Moody
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
JA-233
DIRECT EXAMINATION 2 :45 P.M .
• • • • • • • • • •
By Ms. Guinier:
[773] Q. Have you conducted any registration drives
[774] or attempted to register any people who work as ten
ant farmers T
A. Yes; I have.
Q. Have you had any problems registering those people!
A. Some people live back on the farm and been farming
all their life-not their farm, but they work for some white
people. And they are skeptical about getting off and trying
to register because they are scared that the man might get
mad with them or might make them move or whatever
she or he.
• • • • • • • • • •
[781] A. No; he didn't.
Q. What is the racial composition of the six-member
county commission in HalifaxT
A. All six of them are all white.
Q. Has a black person ever been elected to the county
commission in Halifax CountyT
A. No; they have not.
• • • • • • • • • •
[787] (Whereupon,
Theodore Arrington
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 3 :30 P.M.
By Mr. Hunter:
JA-234
• • • • • • • • • •
[789] By Mr. Hunter :
Q. Dr. Arrington, what studies have you done of cam
paign costs and contributions in Mecklenburg County!
A. I studied all of the official campaign reports of all the
candidates for local office except for state senator from
1975 through 1980. And I also studied in depth all of the
contributors to all of the candidates in 1978 and 1979.
Q. What elections would these be composed of? Would
you explain that for the court, please!
[790] A. These would be composed of the North Carolina
House; Charlotte city council, both at large and district;
county commission; and such single-member executive of
fices as sheriff; and the school board.
Q. Of the Charlotte city council elections that you studied
-do they have both multi-member and single-member dis
tricts in Mecklenburg County!
A. Yes.
Q. When I say "single-member districts," are these
districts in which the candidates are nominated and elected
from one district t
A. Yes.
Q. What data did you glean from these campaign costs
and contribution lists f How did you organize the data f
A. In organizing the data, what we did was look at the
official campaign reports and record the name, address,
party registration, sex, race of each contributor to each
candidate during that time. And then we merged those
files with the information on the candidates-how much
they spent, whether they had run before for public office,
and so forth. And when we merged those two, then we
had an accurate picture of who gave how much to which
candidates.
JA-235
Q. Is this methodology that you used in comparing [791]
this data standardly recognized in the political science
academic community!
A. Yes.
Q. Did you conduct this study for purposes of this law
suit!
A. No. I received a grant from the foundation of the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte to do this study
for academic purposes.
Q. After comparing this data, what conclusions did you
reach after you completed your study!
A. I reached four basic conclusions. First of all, at large
election campaigns cost candidates more than twice as
much as do single-member district elections. Secondly, I
found that giving to candidates tends to follow racial lines.
That is, blacks tend to contribute to black candidates. And
whites tend to contribute to white candidates.
We discovered that only 2 percent of the money that
white candidates received had come from black contribu
tors; whereas, we discovered that about 30 percent of the
money received by black candidates came from white con-.
tributors. Third--
• • • • • • • • • •
[793] By Mr. Hunter:
Q. Dr. Arrington, is your first conclusion-that that the
cost of running in a multi-member district being greater
than twice the cost of running in a single-member district
true for black candidates as well as for white candidates!
A. Yes.
Q. Is it also true that the cost of running in a multi-mem
ber district is more than twice the cost of running in a
JA-236
single-member district-true for winners as well as losing
candidates 7
A. Yes.
Q. What conclusion did you reach in regard to [794] the
contributions that whites may make to black campaigns!
A. When whites contributed to black candidates, they
gave less than when they contributed to white candidates .
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Did black conrtibutors contribute on the average as
much money to black candidates as white contributors con
tributed to white candidates 1
A. No.
• • • • • • • • • •
[800] Q. How does the use of multi-member districts
impede the election of blacks in North Carolina in these
elections!
A. It impedes them first of all because the black popu
lation is substantially submerged in the larger, mostly
white multi-member districts ; and secondly, because multi
member districts require more money to [801] campaign.
And blacks tend to have less money to spend on such cam
paigns.
Q. When the political science literature examines the
relationship between the socioeconomic status of citizens
and participation in the election process, what do their
examinations find T
A. The literature consistently shows that persons who
have low socioeconomic status tend to participate in politics
less than those who have high socioeconomic status.
Q. Does this finding in the politi0al science literature in
your experience and education apply to North Carolina elec
tions in these multi-member districts?
JA-237
A. Yes. It is one of the factors which help to explain
why blacks participate less-for example, vote less-than
do whites.
• • • • • • • • •
[829] (Whereupon,
Frank Winston Ballance, Jr.
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 9:05 A.M.
By Ms. Guinier:
• • • • • • • • • •
[830] Q. Have you been involved in politics?
A. Yes; I have,
Q. Could you describe what your present position is.
A. I am presently a representative from the 7th House
district to the North Carolina general assembly, having
been elected in 1982, I guess .
• • • • • • • • •
[831] Q. What political organizations are you a mem
ber of¥
A. I am a member-vice-president of the Warren County
political action council. I am chairman of the second con
gressional district black caucus.
Q. ·What is the Warren County political action com
mittee?
[832] A. The Warren County political action council is an
organization which involves itself in the political aspects
of Warren County in terms of voter registration, support
ing candidates for office, involving issues of political an,l
non-political affecting the Warren County commission.
JA-238
It is an unorganized-unincorporated is what I meant to
say-organization-informal organization.
Q. What is the racial composition of its membership!
A. As far as I know, it is all black. There may be some
Indians who are members.
• • • • • • • • .. •
[833] Q. You testified that you are elected from a major
ity black district. Is that a single House seat or a multi
member district!
A. That is a single House district seat.
Q. Was that a single House district seat in 1980!
A. No; it was not. I believe we were part of the-what
is known as the 22nd district. I don't recall what number
it was at that time. But it is the same district that primarily
now is comprised of the 22nd House district, Vance, War
ren, Person, Granville.
Q. Did you ever consider running for the 22nd House
district when Warren County was part of it!
[834] A. I considered it, but not seriously.
Q. Why is thaU
A. I couldn't get elected.
Q. Why is thatT
A. Well, the history is that in the multi-member districts
it is difficult for blacks to be elected, particularly in the
district that I reside in. I know Mr. Clayton ran at least
three times. The district was about 40 percent black, as I
recall. He' never got elected.
Floyd McKissick, Jr. ran one time, maybe twice. He did
not get elected. And others have run for the same seat
for a seat in that district. And the history is that those
JA-239
candidates have received tremendous support from the
black communities in the district in the various counties,
but they received very little support from the white com
munities in tho:5e districts. As a result, they were not able
to be elected.
I therefore concluded that it would not be profitable or
· wise for me to run for that office because I would be wasting
my time and efforts in terms of not being able to get elected .
• • • • • • • • • •
[838] Q. Where did you campaign in terms of the white
community!
• • • • • • • • • •
[839] So that was basically my campaign in the white
community because I felt that going into the residential
areas would not be feasible. It was not traditional, and ·
I did not do it. I did campaign in the black community and
of course in the black churches.
Q. Did you campaign at any white churches!
A. No.
Q. Were you invited to any predominantly white civic
clubs!
A. None. I was a bit surprised. I am fairly well known
in Warrenton, and I have been there for-since 1966. It is
a small town. I know many of the people, but I did not get
invited to a single what I would call a civic club in the
white community.
• • • • • • • • • •
[840] Q. What about in Warren County!
A. Warren County-the black population was 59.9 per
cent black. It is about 5 percent Indian.
Q. Are you familiar with the housing patterns in those
counties!
JA-240
A. Yes.
Q. Would you describe those, please f
A. Generally speaking, in the area housing patterns
you can demonstrate that blacks live in certain areas and
whites live in certain areas. And this is true even in the
rural areas to a degree. For example, you have certain
precincts that are predominantly black-heavily black. You
have others that are predominantly white.
In the rural areas you do have, of course, as
• • • • • • • • • •
[841] There are distinct housing patterns in the area
black and white communities.
Q. What is the level of social attraction between the
races!
A. It is very limited. There is some, but it is not very
much. On the social level you don't have very much social
racial intermingling.
Q. Would you describe, please, the level of municipal
services in the black community compared to the white com
munities!
A. There is again a distinct pattern of what I would call
discrmination, or it might better be described I guess as a
lower level of services in the black community than you
find in the white community.
[842] In the general area that I am talking about, you
find that in the cities you can tell when you leave the white
community and go to the black community by the quality
of the streets, the street lights. Even we found in several
situations you have less fire hydrants and you have smaller
water lines in the black community. For example, you
might have a two-inch line in the black community and a
six-inch line in the white community.
JA-241
I think these patterns have persisted over a long period
of time and still persists. There is some effort to correct
that through lawsuits and through voluntary efforts to have
these patterns changed. There is some change coming, but
it is still distinctive .
• • • • • • • • • •
[846] Q. How would you describe the voting patterns of
people throughout these counties T
A. Well, if I understand your question, what you have is
this : When a black candidate runs for office, if he is a good
candidate-and we like good candidates too-then you can
count on getting the bla,ck vote. But you cannot count on
getting support in the white community.
And that has been true in race after race for [847] office
after office.
On the other hand, when white candidates run, again if
they are good candidates, they can count on getting the
white vote and the black vote. And we don't have the kind
of resiprocity that we ought to have in my opinion. I don't
know. I think whites for some reason, whatever, feel that
they do not want-yet they refuse to-numbers. And I
don't mean that is absolute; of course, it is not. But they
do not vote to elect black candidates as a general principle.
They vote against them. It doesn't make any difference
how qualified they are.
Q. How do these voting patterns affect participation by
black voters T
• • • • • • • • • •
Because many people have been told-black people
that your vote doesn't make any difference anyway. A lot
of them want to believe that; a lot of them believe that.
When you convince those folk that their vote does mean
something, that they can go out and elect people of their
JA-242
choice and they go out and you get them excited [848] about
the campaign and get them to participate and get them to
come out and vote, you have a result which their candidate
which everybody was enthused about is defeated-and this
happens time and again-then you have very-have a very
difficult time convincing those folk to come back again.
What happens is that it convinces them that their vote
doesn't make a difference; that it won't be any different
whether they go out and vote or not. And so as a result of
that, it makes it more difficult for candidates to get support.
Q. Do black voters or black people participate in the
political process at the same level as whites f
A. No. In addition to what I have just said-and that is
one of the things that is just the end result. You know,
blacks-well, you have to go all the way back, I guess, to
when we could not participate. And then you come up and
you have some of the arti£cial barriers removed, but it is
very difficult to remove some of the psychological barriers.
And a lot of those barriers are still there, such as the feeling
that "I work for Mr. Jones who is white, who owns the
farm, and he really doesn't think that I ought to be par
ticipating in voting and registration. And he is the one
who pays my salary.'' You know, this is the kind of thought
process that many blacks go through. And [849] they are
not willing in many instances-this is a psychological bar
rier, I would say. Many times it is a real barrier, because
many of those folk that they work for don't want them to
participate, and they will make it be known.
For example, in Warren County, on primary day nor
mally that is a day of setting tobacco from early in the
morning until late at night. And you Iaiow, the particular
farmer will make sure that everybody he has influence with
is i,n the tobacco field. And of course, the farmer hims·elf
the white farmer--can take off in his truck and go down and
vote. But the people that are working for him are left in the
JA-243
field. And that happens more than you might think. And
this might affect 10 or 12 voters on one particular place on
that particular day.
So you have the psychological barriers as I was talking
about. You also have the actual barrier of the people being
prevented in many instances from participating. And of
. course, there is a carryover also. I think there is still some
fear in black voters in the area I am talking about. Whether
it is justified or not-it may well be justified, because I think
the Klan-and if you go back in history far enough, the
red shirts, may be the people who put the initial fear on
blacks-that you don :t participate.
Well, the Klan is still alive in North Carolina [850] as
you well know. I don't know if the record shows it, but in
the Greensboro situation where people were killed by the
Klan or the Statesville situation where recently a cross
was burned in the home of a minister-in the yard of a
minister-and that comes out in the state press and I guess
in the national press. People are aware that some of these
situations still exist. ·
And of course, when you have this kind of intimidation,
you do have an effect on the willingness of people to go out
and get involved in politics.
Now, obviously that is not the same extent that it used
to be. But there is still some lingering effects from that.
Q. Do you in your opinion-do blacks have an equal op
portunity to elect representatives of their choice in districts
where whites are a majority of the voters Y
A. No. I think for the same reasons I have given you.
In addition, I think there are probably some blacks that
probably can get elected-and the record shows that some
have been elected-in multi-member districts. But the
answer to your question is no. Blacks do not have the same
opportunity to elect people of their choice in multi-member
districts.
JA-244
Q. In the legislature have you worked with any blacks
who have been elected from multi-member districts in [851]
which blacks were a minority of the total electorate?
A. Yes. We have several in the general assembly.
Q. Could you describe your experience working with
some of those black legislators?
A. Yeah. I would say first of all that they are good peo
ple. But I guess they are like other people who get elected.
And the problem is see is this: There is a degree of intimi
dation on these blacks who are elected from the multi-·
member districts. It goes like this: A white who is elected
in the multi-member district can take a stand that is directly
contrary to the minority black vote in that district and get
reelected.
A black cannot take a stand that is directly contrary to
the majority white and feel that he can get reelected. And
when I say "take a stand," I am talking about an issue
that may be a racial issue, for example. And you have a
black who is elected in a multi-member district-he does not
feel the same freedom to take a stand on that issue knowing
that when he goes back for reelection he has got to go down
in the white community and stand for reelection, and the
whites can throw him out of office, whether his stand was
justified or not.
And that has an effect in my opinion and in my experi
ence on blacks who are elected in multi-member districts.
[852] Q. Could you give us an example!
A. Well, I do recall that during the time that we served
this year that one or two issues came up, and being from
a single-member district I was asked to take the lead on the
issue. I think that may have been the reason for it.
Q. You were asked to take the lead by whom!
JA-245
A. We have a black caucus in the general assembly-all
the black members of the general assembly. And of course,
the discussions were on that caucus meeting-there were
several of us. And I think the reason was that probably
the fact that I was elected from a single-member district,
I was asked to take the lead.
Q. In your opinion, or should say in your experience,
have blacks who are not in your district come to you as a
representative in the House with their problems?
A. Yes, on more than one occasion. And I welcome them,
some of whom knew me and some did not, but who knew
that I had been elected from Warren County. And when
they came to me-I am not sure for what reason-but they
felt that-at least during my discussions I found they felt
I would be responsive to the issues that they had at hand.
And in some case I was able to be of help and some I was
not. But I made an effort to. I feel like-well, I guess
sometimes people read about what you say or what you do
or hear about it and they feel like this is a [353] person
that I can go to. I recall when I was younger-! guess I
was not old enough to vote at that time. But I did have
a congressman. But the way I perceived it in my mind
my congressman was from New York. His name was Adam
Powell. He spoke on the issues the way that I felt .
• • • • • • • • •
By Ms. Guinier:
Q. Directing your attention to that map, do you believe
that blacks in that district have an equal opportunity to
elect a representative of their choice ?
A. That is in the district as it now exists?
Q. That is right.
[854] A. No. That is Monk Harrington's district. He is
from Bertie County. The district is less than 50 percent
JA-246
black as it now exists. And a black cannot be elected in
my opinion in that district running against Mr. Harrington
or running against anyone else who is a good white can
didate.
Q. And when you say the district is less than 50 percent
black, are you referring to the voters or population T
A. Voting age population, as I recall I believe it is 55
percent black overall populationwise.
Q. Do you have an opinion as to why some people do
not want to enlarge that district T
• • • • • • • • • •
The witness: I know why Monk Harrington would not
want to enlarge it, because if the district were enlarged
to be a majority black population district, he might not be
reelected. I think the same thing would apply to some
white citizens who live in that district who may not want
to have a black representative .
• • • • • • • • • •
[855] CROSS-EXAMINATION 9:49 A.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
Q. Did the Warren County political action council en
dorse a candidate for clerk of superior court in the last
electionT
A. Quite possibly so. If I recall correctly, it was Richard
Hunter or we didn't endorse anybody. I don't recall.
Q. Isn't it correct that Richard Hunter, the white incum
bent, ran against a black person in that election T
A. Well, yeah.
Q. What was wrong with the black person that the coun
cil didn't want to endorse him T
JA-247
A. Let me answer your first question. I think it is correct
that Mr. Hunter ran against, again, Mr. Byrd, I believe
who was the black candidate who ran.
Q. What was there about the black person that caused
your council to reject that black and support Mr. Hunter!
A. Mr. Byrd was not a good candidate in the [856] col
tective opinion of the political action council.
• • • • • • • • • •
[866] Q. Have you been successful in getting any of those
white leaders to openly support youf
A. Going back to this last race, I don't believe that any
one came out openly and notoriously supporting me in my
race for the state House.
Q. But you had to get some white votes T
A. I did get some votes. When I say ''opening and no
toriously," for example, there were some whites in Warren
ton whom I have known for years and they have known
me in my work as a lawyer, and I know that they supported
me. But they didn't go out and campaign down the street.
Q. Has anyone, for example, in Northampton County
a white poltical leader who would feel free in the contem
porary setting openly to support a good black candidate in
your opinion f
A. I would think yes, there would be some. I think there
would he very few. That would be my opinion.
[867] I think you will find, Judge, that there are some
whites across the board in the following maybe two cate
gories: Some will come to you privately and say, "Frank,
I support you,'' and will give me a check. I got a couple
of contributions. But you do not find very many who are
willing to go out and get on the stump. When I say ''get
on the stump," I mean just go out and say publicly that
JA-248
''I think Frank Ballenger is a candidate that you should.
support." Maybe that day is coming, but it hasn't quite
come around yet.
Q. It is better than it wasT
A. Yes; it is.
Q. Ten years ago T
A. Ten years T A lot better than it was 20 years ago.
Q. But it is still, I take it in your opinion, from your
own experience improbable in that region that a good black
candidate can gain the open support of a significant influ
ential white political figure!
A. That is true. And of course, if a white political figure
is also a candidate, then he is going to be very reluctant to
risk his own political--
• • • • • • • • • •
[925] (VVhereupon,
Leslie Bevacqua
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 11:57 A.M.
By Ms. Heenan:
• • • • • • • • • •
[926] Q. VVhat is your present job, Ms. Bevacqua T
A. I am the appointments aide for boards and commis
sions to Governor James B. Hunt, Jr .
• • • • • • • • • •
[937] Q. Can ~,·ou tell us by name who is serving on the
inmate grievance board T
JA-249
A. Yes, I can. The black members on the inmate griev
ance commission are Mr. J . G. Butterfield, Dr. [938] Eliza
beth Stovall, and Reverend George Battle.
• • • • • • • • •
[1064] (VVhereupon,
Marshall Rauch
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows :)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 3 :53 P .M.
] 1065 [ By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Are you currently a member of the general assembly
of North Carolina!
A. lam.
Q. VVhat position do you hold!
A. I am presently co-chairman of the finance committee,
and I am chairman of the legislative ethics committee.
Q. In which House T
A. In the Senate.
Q. How long have you been a member of the state Senate,
Senator Rauch!
A. I have been in the Senate 17 years. This is my 17th
year.
Q. During your senatorial service, how many legislative
redistrictings have you been involved in T
A. I have been involved in two.
Q. When was the first T
JA-250
A. I believe the first was in 1971. I was a member of the
Senate redistricting committee. In 1981 I was chairman of
the Senate redistricting committee.
• • • • • • • • • •
[1068] Q. How long have you known Ralph Gingles, Sr. f
A. 30 years maybe. Ralph was on the Gaston County
good neighbor council with me. That is when we came very
close-30 years ago-20 years ago.
Q. Has he ever been in your home f
A. Sure.
Q. Do you know his son T
[1069] A. "Skipper"!
Q. Ralph, Jr. T
A. Yeah. I know his son very well.
Q. And you know that "Skipper" or Ralph, Jr. is one of
the named plaintiffs in this action T
A. Yes. That was a surprise to both of us.
Ms. Winner : Well, I object to what was a surprise to
Mr. Gingles.
Judge Phillips : Well, we won't consider that answer.
By Mr. Leonard :
Q. How long have you known the Ralph Gingles who is
a plaintiff in this action T
A. 25 years or so. When he was real little, I didn't know
him. Let's say at least 10 or 15 years.
Q. Now, did there come a time in the 1981 session of the
legislature when you became involved in redistricting!
A. I am sorry!
JA-251
Q. Yon had a role to play in the redistricting process this
last timeT
A. Oh, yes.
Q. Tell the court what committee it was and what role
yon played!
A. Well, the redistricting-the Senate redistricting went
to the Senate redistricting committee, and I was [1070]
chairman of that committee.
• • • • • • • • • •
[1075] Q. Now, Senator Ranch, prior to February 9th of
1982, had anyone from the State of Nortth Carolina ap
proached yon to urge yon to support the concept of single
member districts in the larger metropolitan counties T
A. I don't think so. But there is a possibility that Sen
ator Billy-Senator Bill Mills always wanted, I believe it
was, numbered seats. I believe the first time I heard it was
February 9th when Senator Frye asked that we vote on a
single member district. And then Senator Mills made a mo
tion for a subcommittee to study it.
Q. When did Ralph Gingles, Jr., the plaintiff in this ac
tion, first contact yon to urge yon to support single member
districts for the larger metropolitan counties T
A. He never did.
Q. Do yon know whether or not Mr. Gingles is a con
stituent-the plaintiff in this case is a constituent of yours T
[1076] A. Sure, he is.
•
Q. Do yon know where he livesT
A. Sure.
• • • • • • • • •
JA-252
[1079] CROSS-EXAMINATION 4:17 P .M.
By Ms. Guinier:
• • • • • • • • • •
[1085] Q. And in fact, as a result of the department of
justice's objection to the North Carolina constitutional
amendment, you were permitted to break county lines wher
ever that was necessary to get predominantly black dis
tricts!
A. Right.
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. The amendments that prohibited dividing counties were
thrown out as far as you were concerned as a result of the
department of justice's objection to those amendments t
A. That is correct. We could break the lines .
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. It was your understanding, Senator, that the legisla
tive redistricting criteria that you referred to [1086] indi
cated that you could cross county lines t
A. That is correct.
Q. And this legislative criteria was the basis on which
you redistricted the Senate t
A. That is correct .
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Now, after this lawsuit was filed and the department
of justice had objected both to the North Carolina constitu
tional provision as well as to the first [1087] Senate reap
portionment plan, you told the staff to come up with good
plans that would enable or enhance the election of minori
ties ; is that correct t
A. I>efinitely.
JA-253
Q. And this meant drawing single member districts where
a majority of the people within what was previously a
multi-member district were black if a single member district
were drawn T ·
That is correct.
Q. And you were not told of any legal reason why this
could not be done across the entire state T
A. That is right.
Q. And you were not told, for example, that it could
only be done if the plan were gerrymandered T
A. No.
Q. And you were advised by the staff or by the counsel
who were retained that they were looking specifically at
Mercklenburg County to see if a 65 percent majority black
district could be drawn T
A. We talked about that; yes.
• • • • • • • • • •
[1096] CROSS-EXAMINATION
By Ms. Guinier:
• • • • • • • • • •
[1097] Q. I am handing you a copy of a deposit1on that
you gave in this case. Could you please turn to page 90
of that deposition 1 Y"l ould you please read aloud starting
with line 2 to the top of page 91, line 21
• • • • • • • • • •
A. Okay. " ... Did you have any advice on the issue of
whether or not to take Mecklenburg county as a covered
county and treat it and g£ve it a separate district?"
'' ... I don't think we wer ~ told to do that.''
" ... You were not told to do that?"
JA-254
" ... I don't think it was suggested."
". . . But these are your decisions, aren't theyf These
aren't legal decisions.''
'' ... We could have done it.''
" ... Right. But you neglected to do it!"
" ... We chose not to do it."
[1098]
do iU"
" So you made an affirmative decisi,on not to
" ... Yes."
" ... What was the basis upon which that affirmative
decision not to do it was made T''
" ... It wasn't necessary."
". . . It wasn't necessary to comply with the section 5
requirement T ''
'' ... That is correct.''
'' ... Was any discussion given to other sections of the
voting rights or the fifteenth amendment at that timeT''
" ... No; but we were aware of the mandate."
" ... You were aware of the submergence question?"
'' ... Yes.''
• • • • • • • • • •
[1121] Q. Now haven't you also said that the primary
reason that legislators are concerned about not breaking
county line was because that's how their old districts were
drawn and that's how they get elected T
A. Yes, that's one of the main reasons.
• • • • • • • • • •
JA-255
(1158] Whereupon,
Louise S. Brennan
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 10:59 A.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • • • • • •
[1159.] Q. Are you a member of the North Carolina
House!
A. Yes, I am.
Q. North Carolina House of Representatives t
A. Yes.
Q. What's your educational background!
A. I have a B. A. in English and political science, and
an M. A. in political science.
Q. And what district to you represent in the House of
Representatives 1
A. 36th district.
Q. And that's Mecklenburg county!
A. Yes.
• • • • • • • • •
[1178] A. I believe that in campaigns that I've partici
pated in jn the past 20 years, both black and white com
munities open up their communities to candidates of the
other race. And I have seen nothing to the contrary.
Q. And have you, during the course of those years, sup
ported black candidates!
JA-256
A. Yies, I have.
Q. Just name a few for the court.
A. Harvey Gantt, Arnie Shuford, Jim Pope, Bob Walton.
Q. Have you contributed money to their campaigns!
A. To at least 3 of those 4.
Q. Have you helped and assisted them in their campaign
activities 1
A. Yes. Yes, I have.
Q. Tell the court just briefly, Ms. Brennan, what your
experience is with respect to the abmty of black people to
register and have access to the political process in the
county- and please, briefly.
A. Briefly, during the past 20 years, I have participated
in helping to open up the process for blacks and everyone
else beginning in 1963 and '64 prior to the Voting Rights
Act. We put on a substantial registration drive with the
h-elp of Dr. Hawkins, who had a foundation grant to do
that.
I have consistently, in all my Democratic Party [1179]
involvement, supported wide open registration and partici
pation in the political process and continue to do so.
• • • • • • • • •
[1189;] Q. Now at the February 6 meeting which took
place after the public hearing, Jim Richardson was present,
is that correct!
A. That's correct.
Q. And Phil Berry was present!
A. Uh-huh.
Q. Harvey Gantt was preJent Y
JA-257
A. Yes.
Q. And Sara Stephenson was present!
A. Yes.
Q. And Raleigh Bynum was present 7
A. Yes.
Q. And Arthur Griffin was present 7
A. Yes.
Q. And there were a number of black leaders present at
that meeting 7
A. Yes.
Q. Almost to a person, the black people at that meeting
spoke out in favor of single member districts, did they not 7
• • • • • • • • • •
[1190] Q. Do you remember my question 7
A. Yes, I do. And I will say several people present didn't
say anything. Several people did express support for single
member districts. And at least one expressed support for
the current at large district.
Q. And who was that one person 7
A. Malachi Greeu.
Q. And is Malachi Green the only person you can recall
who spoke out in favor of the districting syst~m as it pres
ently existed T
A. I believe at that meeting he's the only one.
Q. Now the other people who spoke out in favor of single
member districts specifically told you that they did not like
the multi-member district scheme for Mecklenburg county,
is that correct?
JA-258
A. Well, I'm not sure they told me they didn't like that,
but they said they would rather have single member dis
tricts.
• • • • • • • • • •
[1191] And they told you that one of the reasons that
they were in favor of single member districts in Mecklen
burg county is that in order to elect a candidate of their
choice the way the system presently exists, blacks have to
concentrate their votes?
A. I doubt that concentration or single-shooting was ever
mentioned in that particular meeting.
Q. You don 't recall that a number of the people com
plain-ed that blacks have to single-shoot in order to elect a
black candidate?
A. I don't believe that that was ever mentioned.
Q. Were you present when Phyllis Lynch testified last
week in this courtroom?
A. Yes, I was.
Q. Were you present when she said that blacks have to
single-shoot in order to elect a candidate of their choice?
A. Yes, I was present when she said that.
Q. And you were present when Phyllis Lynch testified
that the reason blacks have to single-shoot especially in the
primaries is because there are some white people who are
reluctant to vote for a black candidate? ·
A. I was present when she testified to that.
Q. After Ms. Lyncl1 testified, did you talk to her?
A. Y·es, I did.
[1192] Q. When she came off the stand?
A. Yes, I did.
JA-259
Q. And didn't you tell her that you would be doing the
same thing if you were her T
A. I said if my goals were hers.
Q. Now in February of 1982, at the meeting that you had
at the Charlotte Youth Council T
A. Yes.
Q. You told the black people who were speaking on be
half of single member districts that you were opposed to
changing the present plan, is that correct¥
A. Yes.
Q. And you told them that the Justice Department has
been working with the legislature and that thP. legislature's
plan would probably be approved, is that correcU
A. Yes.
Q. And you told them that it was all over but the shout
ing, is that correct 1 Words to that effect?
A. Yes, I did, probably. I don't really recall saying that,
but if they say I did, I probably did.
Q. And you spoke very frankly T
A. I always do.
Q. And you told them, and I'm paraphrasing again, "We
Democrats are not going to let Republicans get into the
legislature.''
[1193,] A. No, well, paraphrasing, I would never have said
it that way. It's quite likely that I said I would not will
ingly relinquish seats to Republicans.
Q. And you said, and I'm paraphrasing again, that single
member districts would open the doors to Republicans 1
A. Well, it depends on how the districts are drawn. I
doubt that I said that, you know. But it would certainly
depend on how the districts were drawn.
JA-260
Ms. Guinier: May I have a moment, please?
(Pause.)
By Ms. Guinier :
Q. Now at the time of this meeting, one of the primary
concerns of the black people who were assembled was they
had been unable to elect a black person to the house of
representatiiVes from Mecklenburg county, is that correct?
A. I think that was their concern, but I'm not sure that
it is well placed.
Q. My question was that was one of the concerns they
expressed to you 1
A. Yes.
Q. And again, paraphrasing, didn't you tell them, "We
are going to get you a black candidate this time'' 1
A. Oh, no. I certainly would never have said that. [1194]
We had 2 black can<lidates present who I knew would be
candidates. Phil Berry announced to me that date that he
was going to be a candidate and Jim Richardson was al
ready an announced candidate, at least to his personal
friends. So I know that 2 candidates were running, so I
never would have said that.
Q. Did you say, again paraphrasing, that we're going
to get a black person elected this timeT
A. I thought we would get 2 elected this time-this past
time.
•
Q. Did you say something to that effect 1
A. Yes, I probably did .
• • • •
Q. Who was that candidate?
A. Jim Ross.
• • • • •
JA-261
Q. And when did he run 1
A. He ran in 1970 with me, although I lost in the [1195]
primary. He lost in the general election that year because
it was in the middle of the busing controversy.
Q. In your opinion, was he a qualified candidate 1
A. Yes, he was.
Q. Now you also described on direct examination your
experience with Dr. Bertha Maxwell who ran for the house
in 1980. And she was defeated in the general election 1
A. Yes.
Q. In your opinion, is she a qualified candidate!
A. Yes, she was.
Q. You've also mentioned Jim Richardson. And the fact
that you were familiar with his run for the North Carolina
house. He won the primary, did he not f
A. Yes, he did.
Q. And he lost the general election, is that correctf
A. Yes.
Q. And that was in 19821
A. Yes.
Q. In your opinion, was he a qualified candidate f
A. Highly qualified.
Q. You state you were also familiar with James Polk
who ran for the senate. He ran from Mecklenburg county,
is that correct.
A. Yes.
Q. And he was nominated in the primary, is that [1196]
correct?
JA-262
A. Uh-huh.
Q. And he lost the general electwn f
A. Yes, he did.
Q. In your opinion, was he a qualified candidate?
A. He was.
Q. Jim Black is a member of the delegation as it pres-
ently exists from Mecklenburg county, is that correct!
A. Y·es.
Q. And Jim Black was first elected in 1980, is that correct!
A. Uh-huh.
Q. And when Bertha Maxwell ran in 1980, Jim Black
also ran for the house from Mecklenburg county in the
general election!
A. Yes.
Q. And this was the first time that Jim Black had run
for public office, 1s that correct f
•
A. Yes, it was.
Q. .And Jim Black was elected!
A. Yes, he was.
Q. And Jim Black is white f
A. Yes, he is.
• • • • • •
[1211] CROSS-EXAMINATION
By Ms. Guinier:
• • • • • • •
• •
12:10 P .M.
• • •
JA-263
[1216] Q. And 1n fact, you believed-or, in fact, you testi
fied that the school system in Wake county was integrated
only as a result of litigation.
A. That is correct, yes . .
Q. And you testified that neighborhoods in Wake county
are identifiable by race?
A. They are, certainly.
Q. And that ehurches in Wake county are segregated by
race?
A. Absolutely.
Q. And that social clubs in W·ake county are racially
identifiable 1
A. As far as I know, they certainly are.
Q. And that the black community in Raleigh tends to be
poorer than the ·white community in Raleigh f
A. That has been proven.
Q. That blacks stil1 face problems with regard to em
ployment discrimination in Wake county?
A. I'm sure they do, yes.
Q. And you testified in your deposition that in many
instances when the housing authority has attempted to
[1217] purchase land and locate public housing in the white
community that they have faced opposition f
A. That is correct.
Q. And that some of this opposition was racially moti
vated?
A. I'm not sure I used that-if you say I said that, and
it's in that deposition, then I did. But I don't recall saying
it just that way.
Q. Do you believe thaU
JA-264
A. I'm sure that race has something to do with that, cer
tainly.
Q. Now you testified that the southeastern part of
Raleigh is where most black people live, is that correct 1
A. That is correct.
• • • • • • • • • •
Q. Are municipal services in the black community [1218.]
equal to those in the white community!
A. Such as-give me-be very specific on that, if you
will. '
Q. Such as the paving of streets in the black community 1
A. Certainly more-there are probably more unpaved
streets in the predominantly black areas of the city than
there would be in the predominantly white areas. I'm fairly
sure that that's an accu:r:ate statement. I don't know what
they are. I can't be more specific than that.
Q. Now do you believe that these problems with regard
to housing segregation and employment discrimination and
the other problems that you mentioned are part of the
lingering effect of past discrimination?
A. Oh, I am sure that they are. Yes .
• • • • • • • • • •
[1219.] Q. And you believe that a black office holder has
more sensitivity and understanding to the needs of black
people!
A. I think that's a very, very good statement.
Q. You've worked in campaigns for various black people
who have run for office in Wake county?
A. Almost all of them.
Q. And worked in the campaign for .T ohn Baker when he
ran for sheriff in 19781
A. Yes, certainly did.
Q. And in 1982 T
A. Yes.
JA-265
Q. And you are familiar with John Baker's record!
f 1220] A. Oh, yes. Record-you mean as sheriff or as
what?
Q. You're familiar with him personally!
A. I know John Baker personally, yes.
Q. And you !mow that John Baker played professi.onal
football and was an all-pro prior to being elected, is that
correct?
A. Yes, millions of people know that.
Q. And that prior to running for office, his name was well
known in the white community?
A. Yes, I'd have to say that he was very well known.
Q. You are also familiar with Acie Ward?
A. Y.es.
Q. Is she a black woman lawyerT
A. Yes.
Q. She ran for district court judge in Wake county in
1982T
A. Yes, she did.
Q. She ran as an incumbent!
A. Yes.
Q. She lostT
A. Yeah, Acie Ward ran as an incumbent having sat or
whatever the correct English is-having been appointed to
the bench and served maybe 6 months and then was-maybe
JA-266
less than that and then had to run for election to the seat.
[1221.;] Q. And you believe that race was one of the fac
tors in her defeaU
A. I'm fairly sure that that's not in. that deposition. No,
I didn't say that. I think I believe I said to you that that
may have been a contributing factor but there were some
other things, too, that probably attributed to her defeat.
Q. It was one of the factors Y
A. Could very well have been one of the factors. I am
fairly sure I told you that.
Q. You're familiar with her.
A. Very i:amiliar with her.
Q. And she's the only black person who has ever been
elected to the Wake county board of commissioners Y
A. She certainly is, yes.
Q. And she does not live in the black community?
A. She does not.
Q. In fact, she lives in an affiuent section of Raleigh
that's predominantly whiteY
A. You're quoting me accurately on that .
• • • • • • • • • •
[1223] Whereupon,
Malachi J. Green
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:
•
DIRECT EXAMINATION
By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • •
12:25 P .M.
• • •
JA-267
[1234] Q. Did Knox and Gantt at one point in their politi
cal careers contest one another for the mayor's position in
Charlotte?
A. Indeed, they did.
Q. Is one of them black!
A. Harvey Gantt is black.
Q. Is one of them white!
A. Eddie Knox is white.
Q. Who did you support!
A. I supported Eddie Knox.
Q. There's been testimony here that the Knox campaign
made overt racial ·appeals during the Knox-Gantt cam
paign. Did you observe any of those appeals during that
campaign by Knox!
A. I did not, sir.
Q. Or by anybody on. his behalf 7
A. I did not observe such.
Q. Let me show you what's been-may I approach the
witness!
Judge Phillips: You may.
By Mr. Leonard: Let me show you what's been [1235]
marked Gingles exhibit No. 46 which is in evidence and has
been identified as an editorial from the-
A. The Charlotte Observer.
Q. Charlotte Observer, and you '11 note I've marked the
last two paragraphs. Would you just read those to yourself
for the moment, pleaseT
(Witness complies.)
JA-268
Now, Mr. Green, do you have ·an opinion as to whether
or not those two paragraphs of that editorial constitute a
racial appeal or a racial overtone with respect to the
candidates in that race T
Ms. Winner: Objection.
Judge Phillips : Overruled.
A. In my opinion, Mr. Leonard, they do not constitute
any appeal to race because the divergent and sometimes
controversial views that are referred to in the editorial
have direct reference to two big issues that were the prin
cipal campaign themes.
Q. Did either of those issues have anything to do with
race!
A. No, only insofar as any issue has to. do with race
public transportation, growth management. Those were the
two big issues.
Q. Would you have an opinion as to whether or not the
black citizens of the city of Charlotte would have taken
[1236] that editorial to be a reflection on the racial back
ground of the two candidates!
A. I can't speak, of course, for all the citizens of Char
lotte, but no one ever raised that issue to me or I never
heard it discussed during the campaign.
Q. Prior to the time that you and I discussed this last
night, had you ever heard it raised by anybody?
A. No.
Q. Was your support for Eddie Knox in that campaign
open!
A. Very.
Q. Did people know you were. supporting him T
A. Yes, sir.
JA-269
Q. Did your name at times appear in ads for Mr. Knox 1
A. Endorsement ads and every other report. We spon
sored all kinds of affairs for him.
• • • • • • • • • •
[1277] RECROSS-EXAMINATION 3:37P.M.
By Ms. Winner:
Q. Mr. Green, have you examined the election returns
for the general assembly elections in Mecklenburg county
for the last four or six years 1
• • • • • • • • • •
[1278] Q. Do you think that race was a factor in defeat
of: Bertha Maxwell from the general assembly f
A. No.
Q. Do you think that race was a factor in the defeat of
Jim Polk when he ran for the senate?
A. Ms. Winner, let me change the answer to that first
question. Yeah.
[1279] Q. Do you think that race is a factor in the defeat
of Jim Polk when he ran for the Senate?
A. Yeah. You said "a" factor.
Q. A factor. Do yon think that race was a factor in the
defeat of Jim Richardson when he ran for the house in
19821
A. Yeah.
Ms. Winner: I don't have any other questions.
EXAMINATION 3:37 P.M.
By Judge Dupree:
JA-270
Q. I'm not sure that I understood your answer to a ques
tion relating to the relative chance of a black candidate
to be elected to the state senate from the Mecklenburg
Cabarrus district as presently constituted. Let me put the
question in this way:
Let's assume that we have a Democratic primary in
which there are two candidates, one black and one white.
~ach of · them is qualified to represent the district in the
senate. In your opinion, does either of those candidates,
just on those facts alone, have a better chance to be elected
than the other 1
A. Yes.
Q. Which one 1
A. I think the white person would have a better [1280]
chance.
• • • • • • • • • •
(Whereupon,
Arthur John Howard Clement, ~'
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 3:40 P.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
Q. Would you state your full name and your address,
pleaset
A. I am Arthur John Howard Clement, ill. I'm at 2505
Weaver Street, i.n Durham, North Carolina.
•
Q. And you are an American who is black and male f
A. Obviously.
• • • • • • • • •
JA-271
[1295] Q. Did you have whites actively participating in
your campaign T
A. Very much so.
Q. Do you know any policy of the Durham County Demo
cratic Party which impedes black people from participating
in the process in that countyT
A. No, I don't.
Q. What's the makeup of the executive committee?
A. The chairman-the cha1rperson of the executive com
mittee is Mrs. Lucas. She's a black woman. The-most of
the other offices-many of the offices-in fact, there's a
good mix in the current Democratic party, black, white,
women, young people, in the current leadership hierarchy
of the Democratic party.
Q. Do you know of any reason why blacks are not able
to elect the candidates of their choice for the general as
sembly in Durham county?
A. Well, if I may, sir, if the Durham collliirittee had
given me its endorsement, theoretically I think I could
have been in the state legislature today, and Durham
county would have had two blacks in the state legislature
from Durham county. But the Durham committee did not
see fit to give me its endorsement. Consequently I was
denied a significant portion of the black vote. Consequently,
I lost.
• • • • • • • • • •
[1300] (Whereupon,
Allen Adams
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION
JA-272
By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • • • • • •
[1301] Q. Are you currently a member of the General
Assembly!
•
A. I am.
Q. And in the House of Representat1vest
A. Yes.
Q. From what county?
A. Wake county.
• • • • • • • • •
[1306] Q. What about the formal election board process
itself? What's your experience with respect to blacks' par
ticipation in the board of elections?
A. Well, I can remember 1960 we started a registration
drive called a vote-mobile drive. And that was done in con
junction with the Jaycees and the League of Women
Voters. And the vote on the election board was two to one.
We got John Duncan's vote, and one Democrat. And one
Democrat voted against it. But anyway, we did that, and
from then on we have-in the-through the elections proc
ess-board process made every effort to make registration
and voting available to all the citizens.
At that time we had special emphasis on black [1307]
registration because they were underregistered.
Q. You mentioned the precinct level. Are you familiar
with blacks holding precinct offices in the county!
A. Yes.
Q. Can you tell the court how long a history that has?
A. Well, it's been ever since I've been in Wake County.
There were a number of black precinct chairmen and vice
(
JA-273
chairmen. Let me, if I may, Mr. Leonard-I digressed a
little bit on the election process. The Wake county board
of elections has had a black member since 1968 or '69. J. J .
Sanson was appointed by me. And I think there has been
continuously since then a black member on the Wake county
board of eleetio:.us. The current chairman of the Wake
county board of elections :Ls Rosa Guild, who is black .
• • • • • • • • • •
[1333] Q. Can you give examples of the Wake county
delegation supporting legislation that was of specific in
terest to the black community?
A. Yes. When the blacks asked us to abolish the single
member districts for the school board-as you heard Mr.
Malone testify-on the grounds that that diluted the voting
influence of black citizens, we introduced a bill over the
objection of a number of other elements in the county to
set up the mechanism to go to at-large elections for the
school board:
That was specifically at the request of the black organi
.zations-the four black organizations: the Raleigh-Wake
Citizens Association, the Black Women's Political Caucus,
the Wake County Democratic Black Caucus [1334] and the
fourth one, which met. together. Mr. Winley was presiding.
Mr. Malone was there. Substantially every black leader in
Wake county was there. And the purpose or the meeting
was to ask us to do away with single-member districts in
VIT ake county for the school board because it lessened the
influence of the black voters. And we introduced that legis
lation and have it pending.
Q. Is there a black caucus in the house of representa
tives 1
A. Yes.
JA-274
Q. Do they at times generate proposals to the legisla~
ture out of that caucus 7
A. Yes.
Q. Can you recall any such issues in the last two ses
sions!
A. Yes. Their main program was the voter registration
battles that chairman Spearman referred to that the legis
lature passed. And I introduced one of those. And repre
sentative Blue und I and Ballance worked on those in the
house election la.ws committee. And we got all three of
them passed.
Wilma Woodard, our senator, was introducing them in
the senate and handled the bills in the senate. There were
three specific proposals. One was voter [1335] registration
in public libraries. The second was to have a voter registrar
at each hlgh school. And the third was the Department of
Motor Vehicles license examiners giving an opportunity to
people when they renew their driver's license to register
to vote or change their registration. And all three of those
passed.
Q. Was there any legislation in the health field that came
out of the caucus 7
A. Well, I don't know that it was an official action of
the caucus. But Repre!Sentative Lockes from Robeson coun
ty introduced a bill on the sickle cell anemia funds-to
have funds for sickle cell-which I understand is pecu
liarly applicable to blacks. I think only blacks get sickle
cell anemia.
And they were intrested in that-the caucus was. And
that was placed in the budget. In fact, we took the funds
out of the governor's block grant funds and funded $281,000
for sickle cell anemia.
JA-275
Q. Did all of this legislation which you referred to be
come law in North Carolina 1
A. Yes. It is law now.
• • • • • • • • •
[1369] (VVhereupon,
Thomas Brooks Hofeller
was called as a witness, duly sworn, and testified as
follows:)
DIRECT EXAMINATION 10:17 A.M.
By Mr. Leonard:
• • • • • • • • • •
[1387] Q. Is that information available from the voting
records in Mecldenburg county¥
A. To the best of my belief, it is.
Q. VVhat else did you observe¥
A. Dr. Grofman appears to give a very great weight to
the correlation between two variables, where one variable
is the percent of black registration and the other variable
is the percent of performance by the black candidates¥
He went through the data. And he listed out that there
were correlati,on coefficients that were extremely high .. And
there were significances that were extremely low, which
made them very good. And I don't argue that those corre
lations and sigmficancfl represent the relationship of those
two variables.
I would just like to point out that my opinion is that
one would find that sort of correlation between white and
black voting behavior in other races where whi,tes and
blacks were candidate~ and in other races in which other
JA-276
issues were at stake-that the presence of high degree of
correlation and high significance does not really prove the.
causality of his judgment that there is significant racially
polarized bloc voting.
[1388] It is very academicalli exciting to have that cor
relate so well. But I am not sure that it would be f~ir to
draw the conclusion that it proves his point, especially
when evidence is not presented as to whether or not those
kinds of voting behaviors are present anywhere else in
the state or anywhere else in the nation.
Q. What other observations did you makeT
A. Again, in my opinion I think that it is very difficult
from my experience in electoral analysis to use just the
results of votes as a model for determining what hap
pened in an election. There are a large number of fac
tors-some of which are quantifiable, some of whicli are
non-quantifiable-which are present in any election in any
given year, such as the positions of the candidates on
issues. After all, elections are decided by issues.
I think it would be naive to assume that every election
is decided upon the race of the candidate. Financing is an
iEsue. The general approval rating of the candidate is an
issue. The candidate's skill as a candidate and the skill of
the persons wl.to are managing his or her campaign are
Important. N arne I.D. is important. Ballot position is im
portant. The general atmosphere in that campaign ·year
is important. The same characteristics for the other candi
rl.ates are also important.
[1389] So I guess what I am trying to say here is that
the correlation analy~is and the statistical significance and
all that data in the printouts is only one factor in trying
to lead to an evaluation of the election. And therefore,
one should not uece&sarily give the weight that one might
feel on the correlation over to the other factors when some
body is making a determination.
JA-277
• • • • • • • • •
[1419] CROSS-EXAMINATION 12:05 P .M.
By Ms. Winner:
• • • • • • • • • •
[1430] A. 'Submergence with relation to multi-member
districts takes place when there is a minority population
which is sufficiently concentrated such that a district can
be drawn to include that population-a reasonable dis
trict-in which that minority would constitute a majority. -
But at the same time, the total of all the minority in
habiants of that multi-member district do not constitute a
majority of that multi-member district's population.
Q. And when you say a reasonable district could be
drawn, do you mean one that is intact and contiguous f
A. Reasonably so. Reasonably so.
Q. Using that definition-I think that you testified that
you have examined the concentration of minority voters
in Mecklenburg and Forsyth and Durham and Wake coun
ties; is that correct?
A. Along with several other counties in the state also.
Q. But you have examined it in both counties f
A. Yes.
Q. Using that criterion, do you consider there to [1431]
be submergence in the Mecklenburg county house district f
A. The multi-member seat f
Q. Yes-in Mecklenburg county? Would you like me to
put the map upf
A. I was just going to get the district numbers-dis
trict 36?
JA-278
Q. Yes!
A. Yes. The answer is yes-in accordance with that defi
nition; yes.
Q. Do you consider there to be submergence in .the Meck
lenburg.:Cabarrus senate district, which is senate district
number 22!
A. Yes.
Q. Do you consider there to be submergence in the Dur
ham county house district-! can't recall the number!
A. 23; yes.
Q. And do you consider there to be submergence in the
Wake county house district number 21 T
A. Yes.
Q. And do you consider there to be submergence in the
Forsyth county house district number 39 T
A. Yes.
Q. Do you consider there to be submergence in the Wil
son-Edgecombe-Nash bouse district number 8!
A. Yes.
• • •
[1437]
• • • •
CROSS-EXAMINATION
(Resumed)
By Ms. Winner:
• • •
Q. Dr. Hofeller, have you analyzed the elections in Meck
lenburg, Forsyth and Durham and Wake counties to deter
mine whether black voters single-shot vote more than white
voters doT
A. Yes.
JA-279
Q. In your opinion, do black voters have to single-shot
vote in order to be able to elect black candidates in those
counties!
A. I am not sure that I can say conclusively in every
instance that they would have to have single shot. But I
think as a general rule the answer would be yes .
• • • • • • • • •
r144l] Q. In looking at professor Grofman's results, is
it correct that the extreme case analysis and the regres
sion analysis correspond wi,thin ·a few percentage points in
almost all of the cases?
A. In many of the cases they do conform rather closely.
Q. In most of the cases t
A. Yes.
Q. Now, you testified that professor Grofman did not
have any turnout data or turnout estimate; is that what
you saidt
A. No. What I said was that I would like to have seen
:figures on the numbei of blacks and the number of whites
who turned out. Certainly I know that he had Democratic
and Republican turnout in those primary elections and
general turnout in the general election.
Q. Is there any way to determine the exact number of
blacks and whites who voted in each election in each pre
cinct without going ana counting the registration cards T
A. Not that I know of.
[1442] Q. In the political science literature, is it standard
for political scientists to count registration cards to deter-
mine black and white turnoutT -
A. I am not sure that it has ever been done. But that
doesn't mean that it isn't a valid way to operate. I know
JA-280
that in terms of analyzing political data for vote analysis
for trying to win elections and determine elections, there
have been times when people have gone to the voter regis
tration forms and affidavits. So it certainly isn't beyond
the realm of things you could do.
Q. But it is unusual 7
A. If you were just dealing in an academic situation
probably you wouldn't go to the trouble of getting that
data.
Q. And the reason is that it is extremely time-consuming
to do that-and tedious 1
A. Again, it is a matter of how extreme you think it i,s.
Q. But it would be a matter of going through card by
card?
A. Yes; definitely.
Q. And determining whether everybody voted and what
race they were 7
A. Yes. ·
Q. Have you ever done that in any analysis that [1443]
you did?
A. N 6--not for this kind of a study. Again, I have done
it in terms of political analysis-practical politics dealing
with real elections. Yes.
Q. But you have not done it for this kind of study?
A. It depends on what you characterize as "this kind of
study."
Q. Are you familiar with the method that Dr. Grofman
used for estimating turnout?
A. No. I can't say that I really am .
• • • • • • • • • •
JA-281
[1445] Q. Now, do you agree that a standard methodology
in political science for determming voting polarization is
to look at correlations T
A. Yes.
Q. And that that would be at least one of the steps that
should be performed in order to determine whether or not
there is substantial significant polarized [1446] voting?
A. Yes.
Q. Would you agree that all of the correlations that Dr.
Grofman arrived at or found in his studies were statis
tically significant?
A. I think I already stated that they were statistically
significant.
Q. All of them?
A. He gave the significance factor of them. It was .00001,
which was the best that the printout could show.
Q. And you agree that that is statistically significant?
A. I agree that his correlation between those two vari
ables is statistically significant .
• • • • • • • • • •
[1447] By Ms. Winner:
Q. Looking at defendants' exhib1t 14(d), you have testi
fied that Richardson's place on the ballot could have been
one of the reasons why he lost; is that correct Y
A. Yes. That is correct.
Q. And he is candidate number 8?
A. Yes.
Q. Is it correct that the person next to Richardson-that
is, candidate number 7 -came in third in that electwn?
A. Yes.
JA-282
Q. And that the candidate next to that person, candidate
number 6, came in seGond in the election t
[1448] A. I am not sure that he didn't come in first.
Q. He came in first in the elect~on 1
A. Yes.
Q. And that way over on the other page, candidate num
ber 15-who I believe would have been the seventh Repub
lican-got 3,000 more votes than Mr. Richardson got?
A. Yes. I think you have to note, though, of course, the
Republicans and Democrats are on a different row in the
ballot. And I think that you have to recall that my testi
mony is that the ballot posit~on has an effect on the votes
received. I didn't say it was going to be totally determinant.
Obviously if it were, the top alphabetical candidate would
always win every election.
Q. At least m this election, while Mr. Richardson was in
eighth place, the candidate who was number 7 in both the
Democratic row and the Republican row did substantially
better than he did t
A. That is right. But I would s·ay that .3 of 1 percent of
vote difference could be accounted for by position on ballot
just as any other factor. It could have been that i,f candi
date number 7 were higher on the ballot, he might have
gotten more votes .
• • • • • • • • •
[1451] Q. Would you say that there was racially polarized
voting in the general election in the Mecklenburg county
for the senate in 19821
A. Polarized voting~
Q. Yes.
A. Yes.
JA-283
Q. In each of the elections contained m exhibits 13
through 18, were there any that did not have racially
polarized voting?
A. I do not recall seeing one.
• •
[1454]
totality
you?
• • • • • • • •
Q. You did not conduct an investigation of the
of the circumstances in any of these places; did
A. Some of the factors which I mentioned as being neces
sary to prove or to form an opinion of substantially [1455.]
significant racially polarized voting are very difficult to
obtain. And if one was indeed trying to prove a case on
that, one would want to look at them all. And I did not
look at them all.
Q. And in fact, when I took your deposition a week and
n half ago, you said that you hadn't looked at anything
other than the voter returns at that time; isn't that right T
A. That is correct.
• • • • • • • • • •
[1458] By Ms. Winner:
Q. Prior to . your employment in this case, have you ever
done an analysis of racially polarized voting?
A. No.
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