North Carolina’s 2022 primary election is delayed and all candidate filing is suspended, the North Carolina Supreme Court and State Board of Elections announced on Wednesday, Dec. 8.
The primary moves from March 8 to May 17. The decision comes in the wake of gerrymandering lawsuits that could lead to redrawn districts. Specifically, the Court wants a trial court to rule on the merits of two ongoing redistricting cases by Jan. 11.
Any candidate whose filing has been accepted by the State Board of Elections or any county board of elections will “be deemed to have filed for the same office” in the May primary, subject to any court rulings that would impact the candidate’s eligibility.
Those candidates could withdraw their candidacy during the new filing period. Any individual who withdraws their candidacy is free to file for any other office for which they are eligible during the reopened filing period.
Dates for a new filing period aren’t set. Candidate filing opened Monday, Dec. 6. Across the state, more than 1,400 candidates had already filed statewide before the news of the suspension.
“In light of the great public interest in the subject matter of these cases, the importance of the issues to the constitutional jurisprudence of this state and the need for urgency in reaching a final resolution on the merits at the earliest possible opportunity, the Court grants a preliminary injunction and temporarily stays the candidate-filing period for the 2022 elections for all offices until such time as a final judgment on the merits of plaintiffs’ claims, including any appeals, is entered and a remedy, if any is required, has been ordered,” reads the Supreme Court’s order.