Lawsuit delays filing for several key political races across North Carolina. 

Senator Kevin Corbin planned to file for re-election alongside his family on Monday afternoon, however, a lawsuit filed at the last minute has temporarily delayed filing for congressional and legislative offices in North Carolina. 

“I will certainly file the moment I am able to,” said Senator Kevin Corbin. “In the meantime, I will continue to work for all residents across North Carolina.”

The North Carolina Court of Appeals announced Monday that filing for several state races were temporarily blocked because of an ongoing dispute over the district maps, which were approved by the General Assembly earlier this year.

The filing was slated to move forward today, Monday, December 6 as scheduled, after a three-judge panel on Friday refused requests to block new N.C. election maps on Friday. However, the North Carolina Court of Appeals intervened Monday morning. The temporary stay was sought by and granted to the plaintiffs in a lawsuit led by the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters. 

Plaintiffs in two lawsuits had urged the judges meeting in Wake County Superior Court to issue a preliminary injunction against the maps. Such an action would have delayed candidate filing, at least in races for N.C. House and Senate and the state’s 14 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

With minimal advance warning for candidates and state elections officials, a Court of Appeals order directed state and local officials not to begin accepting candidates for those seats, which was supposed to begin at noon. Filing for other positions — including U.S. Senate, judicial seats, and city and county positions — began as scheduled in Raleigh and at county election offices in all 100 counties.

In a letter from Paul Cox, Associate General Counsel for the North Carolina Board of Elections sent at 11:39 a.m. on Monday, Cox said the stay is temporary, however additional details will be released when available. 

“This is a temporary stay to permit the parties to submit their arguments to the Court of Appeals,” reads the email from Cox. “The Court then will make a decision whether to continue the suspension or lift it.”