The Guilford GOP and High Point minority representation

The Guilford County Republican Party submitted a map to the NC General Assembly when state lawmakers were hashing out a deal to reduce the size of the Guilford County Commission in June. As a compromise, Republican state lawmakers set aside the map and allowed the Democratic-controlled commission to redraw its own map. The GOP map (shown) below is the only one published to date that creates three districts with more than 50 percent black voting age population, in compliance with the law passed last month by the General Assembly

Guilford GOP redistricting planAuthor: Guilford County Republican Party
Deviation from ideal population: 3.1 percent
Drawbacks: Disrupts current relationships between elected representatives and constituents by drawing Democrats Kirk Perkins and Carolyn Coleman into the same district, and a Republican-leaning one at that. Draws Republican Linda Shaw into a Democratic leaning district. Draws Democrats Skip Alston and Bruce Davis into the same district. Boundary lines are somewhat irregular in south and southwest Greensboro by necessity to meet the requirements of the Voting Rights Act.
Advantages: Appears to be the only plan that is able to maintain 50 percent black voting age population in the High Point minority strength district. The plan is fairly compact, and respects communities of interest by keeping Pleasant Garden, Summerfield and the Greensboro neighborhood of Adams Farm in the same districts.
Overall political analysis: Democrats have three guaranteed seats, a strong chance of holding an additional seat, and are favored to win still another seat. Republicans hold a strong advantage in three districts.

District 1 (High Point minority strength district)

Hispanic voting age population: 8.1 percent
White voting age population: 33.7 percent
Black voting age population: 51.4 percent
Democratic voter registration: 69.5 percent
Republican voter registration: 13.3 percent
Unaffiliated voter registration: 17.2 percent
Incumbent residing in this district: Bruce Davis (D-1)
Political analysis: Democratic stronghold

District 2 (High Point)

Hispanic voting age population: 6.2 percent
White voting age population: 69.0 percent
Black voting age population: 18.5 percent
Democratic voter registration: 38.2 percent
Republican voter registration: 38.6 percent
Unaffiliated voter registration: 23.0 percent
Incumbent residing in this district: Bill Bencini (R-2)
Political analysis: Republican lean, but competitive

District 3 (western Guilford)

Hispanic voting age population: 4.9 percent
White voting age population: 70.4 percent
Black voting age population: 18.2. percent
Democratic voter registration: 39.4 percent
Republican voter registration: 35.4 percent
Unaffiliated voter registration: 24.9 percent
Incumbent residing in this district: Linda Shaw (R-3)
Political analysis: Democratic lean, but competitive

District 4 (Greensboro minority strength)

Hispanic voting age population: 9.3 percent
White voting age population: 31.4 percent
Black voting age population: 52.6 percent
Democratic voter registration: 69.2 percent
Republican voter registration: 12.7 percent
Unaffiliated voter registration: 18.0 percent
Incumbent residing in this district: None
Political analysis: Democratic stronghold

District 5 (Greensboro minority strength)

Hispanic voting age population: 6.4 percent
White voting age population: 20.1 percent
Black voting age population: 68.3 percent
Democratic voter registration: 74.4 percent
Republican voter registration: 9.0 percent
Unaffiliated voter registration: 16.4 percent
Incumbent residing in this district: None
Political analysis: Democratic stronghold

District 6 (southeast Guilford)

Hispanic voting age population: 5.0 percent
White voting age population: 75.2 percent
Black voting age population: 16.2 percent
Democratic voter registration: 37.5 percent
Republican voter registration: 40.6 percent
Unaffiliated voter registration: 21.7 percent
Incumbent residing in this district: Kirk Perkins (D-4), Billy Yow* (R-5) and Carolyn Coleman (D-9)
Political analysis: Republican lean

District 7 (northern Guilford)

Hispanic voting age population: 3.2 percent
White voting age population: 82.6 percent
Black voting age population: 10.6 percent
Democratic voter registration: 32.5 percent
Republican voter registration: 43.0 percent
Unaffiliated voter registration: 24.3 percent
Incumbents residing in this district: None
Political analysis: Republican lean

District 8 (Greensboro)

Hispanic voting age population: 3.4 percent
White voting age population: 77.2 percent
Black voting age population: 14.8 percent
Democratic voter registration: 45.6 percent
Republican voter registration: 30.2 percent
Unaffiliated voter registration: 24.0 percent
Incumbents residing in this district: Kay Cashion (D-6) and Mike Winstead* (R-7)
Political analysis: Democratic lean

* Mike Winstead and Billy Yow are not seeking reelection.