City of Greensboro, 6 residents sue over redistricting

GREENSBORO (AP) — The city of Greensboro and six residents are challenging in federal court a city council redistricting that legislators approved earlier this month.

The lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court says the new law would destroy a municipal government controlled by citizens and replace it with a city council with unconstitutional voting districts.

The Greensboro changes reduce the number of voting members from nine to eight. Citizens would no longer choose at-large members, and the separately elected mayor would no longer vote in most situations. City leaders also wouldn’t be able to redraw maps on their own after the 2020 census.

The changes would take effect with this fall’s elections.

Sen. Trudy Wade, R-Guilford, is a former Greensboro council member who sought the changes. Council members didn’t seek the changes.