2025 NASW-NC Legislative Session Update: NCGA to gerrymander U.S. Congressional map & more

In this week's update:

• NCGA to gerrymander U.S. Congressional map
• Act Now - Tell NCGA no new maps  
• NC Medicaid Day of Action 10/21
• Governor Stein highlights NC impacts of Impasse in Washington
• November 2025 Municipal Voting Dates 
• Register Now! 2025 NASW-NC Fall Conference 
• In case you missed it -Social Work Compact is Law
• Note: Advocacy Alerts are scheduled weekly when the NCGA is in session.  They may be reduced during the remainder of the 2025 Legislative Session.  
   

NCGA to gerrymander U.S. Congressional map

NC lawmakers unveil proposed congressional map in effort to maintain GOP control
 

Republican North Carolina lawmakers released newly proposed congressional districts Thursday — a move that seeks to protect or expand the GOP’s control of the U.S. House of Representatives.  The newly proposed map would do just that, by turning the state’s only competitive district — won by a Democrat in 2024 — into a district that’s more likely to elect a Republican in 2026.

Republican legislative leaders plan to vote on the map when they return to session next week. It’s part of a nationwide effort by lawmakers in states run by both major political parties to maximize their advantage heading into the 2026 midterms, when Democrats are seeking to break Republicans’ control of Congress.

North Carolina is represented by 14 members in the U.S. House — 10 Republicans and four Democrats. Leaders in the state legislature plan to return to Raleigh next week to approve new lines that could favor more GOP candidates, creating an 11-3 split instead.

Their target is Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat who represents the northeastern corner of the state. Davis told WRAL Thursday that politicians should be focused on fixing bigger problems.

"Families across eastern North Carolina are struggling and feel that Washington, D.C., is broken," Davis said. "I understand these concerns all too well. As we look at new congressional districts, I am considering every option, drawing on my local roots, experience in the military, and commitment to education."

The move to draw new maps comes as President Donald Trump has called on Republicans across the nation to redraw congressional districts to help the GOP in next year’s midterm elections.

Republican legislative leaders have pointed to Trump’s history of carrying North Carolina in presidential elections as a reason legislative leaders should gerrymander the state further to help protect Republican control of Congress.

“President Trump earned a clear mandate from the voters of North Carolina and the rest of the country, and we intend to defend it by drawing an additional Republican Congressional seat,” North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said in a statement on Monday. A spokesperson for Hall didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Trump won the 2024 presidential election with 49.8% of the vote nationwide, including 50.9% in North Carolina. This new map would be expected to give Republicans 79% of the state’s U.S. House seats.

Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, has said legislative leaders are abusing their power with the new proposal. “The General Assembly works for North Carolina, not Donald Trump,” Stein said in a statement on Monday, when Republican lawmakers said they would release a new map. “The Republican leadership in the General Assembly has failed to pass a budget, failed to pay our teachers and law enforcement what they deserve, and failed to fully fund Medicaid. Now they are failing you, the voters.”

The governor is banned from vetoing any redistricting plans. So whatever Republican leaders ultimately approve will likely become law, given statements in support of the effort from multiple top Republicans in both the state Senate and the state House.

Democrats will have to turn to the courts to try to stop any new maps, as they have multiple times in past years. Once lawmakers approve a new map it’ll be the seventh congressional map since 2016. Many of those various maps have been drawn, struck down as unconstitutional, and drawn again, due to gerrymandering lawsuits against the legislature in state and federal court.

READ MORE HERE. 

Act now- Tell NCGA no new maps 

From ACLU-NC          

The legislature is pushing partisan gerrymandering forward with no meaningful public hearings, effectively silencing the very communities most affected by these changes but we don’t need to bow to their plans. Click here to tell your legislator you don’t approve of their trying to rig election outcomes and undermine our regular democratic process.  

Instead of picking their voters and changing the maps to avoid accountability, lawmakers should be changing their policies to reflect what voters in their district want. When voters are unhappy with their representatives, they need to be able to change who represents them. If instead politicians can rig the next election to stay in power, they’ll serve their own interests, not what voters want.    
                 

Contact your legislator now and make your voice heard .                           

Thank you for helping us work towards a safer North Carolina we all deserve.

NC Medicaid Day of Action -10/21                           

NASW-NC is a coaltion partner of this event. 

What: A coalition of over 18 state-wide associations representing home and community organizations, mental health, developmental disabilities, substance use services, advocates, and the professionals who support seniors, children and individuals with disabilities will unite for a Medicaid Day of Action in Raleigh. These voices come from across North Carolina to demand full funding for the Medicaid rebase—protecting access to essential care at home and in the community.
             

As of October 1, Medicaid funding for all programs has been reduced by 3-10%. These cuts are devastating seniors and individuals with living disabilities/medical needs and their families who rely on these services. Fully funding North Carolina’s Medicaid rebase is essential to maintaining access to care for the state’s most vulnerable residents. Without full funding, services face severe disruptions, families and caregivers could lose critical support for loved ones with complex needs, and healthcare providers across the state could struggle to remain viable.

Advocates are gathering in Raleigh to ask the House, Senate, and the Governor to work together to find a solution to fully fund Medicaid. The event will kick off with a press gathering at the North Carolina Nature Research Center from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., where media can hear directly from advocates. Advocates will then proceed to the NC General Assembly to meet with their constituent legislators.

Where: North Carolina Nature Research Center  
121 W. Jones St., Raleigh, NC (Corner of W. Jones and N. McDowell Streets)

When: Tuesday, October 21 11:00 a.m. – 12:00

If you cannot attend in-person, there is a virtual option to participate on Tuesday, October 21st.  Please contact your legislators and amplify on social media. We’re asking state leaders to work together to protect access, ensure stability, and support the workforce that makes care possible by funding the agreed upon Medicaid rebase.

This isn’t about politics — it’s about people. Funding the Medicaid rebase keeps care available statewide. Without it, families lose access, providers
lose stability, and the workforce crisis worsens. #FUNDNCMEDICAID

Governor Stein highlights NC impacts of Impasse in Washington

Today Governor Josh Stein released a statement highlighting the impacts of the federal government shutdown across North Carolina and urging leaders in Washington to return to the negotiating table.  

“The longer the federal government remains shut down, the more North Carolinians will be hurt – military and federal workers who deserve stable paychecks, millions of families and children who are struggling to put food on the table, and folks in western North Carolina who are counting on us for their recovery from Hurricane Helene. Leaders in Washington must come back to the negotiating table to reopen the government, stop health care premiums from skyrocketing, and ensure stability for hardworking people across the state and the country. 

“Here in North Carolina, it’s similar story. Republicans in Raleigh have yet to pass a comprehensive budget, leaving Medicaid recipients and providers, teachers, law enforcement, and state employees in the lurch. People are tired of federal and state government dysfunction disrupting their lives and causing chaos. It’s time for all elected officials to do their jobs and get government working like it should – for the people.” 

The federal shutdown and impasse in Washington are impacting North Carolinians in every corner of the state: 

• Military & Veterans: The state’s U.S.servicemembers, who have sacrificed so much on behalf of this nation, depend on receiving stable paychecks like everyone else who is an employee. This week, 841 personnel in the North Carolina National Guard missed their paychecks, and paychecks for all the approximately 90,000 active-duty servicemembers and National Guardsmen in North Carolina are at risk on October 31 if Congress does not act. Community college military tuition assistance may also be revoked at the end of the month. 
• Families & Children: Without government action, North Carolina families may struggle to feed their children. SNAP and WIC benefits are potentially in jeopardy at the end of October. NCDHHS does not currently have funding to continue WIC benefits past early November, and there is no certainty that more funding is coming. The department also received a letter from the USDA warning that SNAP benefits could be disrupted in November if the federal shutdown continues. More than 1.4 million people in North Carolina rely on SNAP to help put nutritious and healthy food on the table, and WIC supports about 262,000 North Carolina women, infants, and children who rely on the program for access to nutritious food. 
• Federal Employees: Approximately 80,000 federal workers living in North Carolina are facing lost pay and uncertainty about when their next paychecks will come. North Carolina state agencies have worked to minimize furloughs and program disruptions for federally funded positions, but that will become more difficult as the shutdown persists. 
• Western North Carolina Recovery: An ongoing shutdown threatens North Carolina’s strong progress in recovery from Hurricane Helene. Western North Carolina farmers are not receiving expected USDA disaster aid reimbursements. Recovery programs that rebuild homes, cover flood insurance, and offer mental health care are at risk.  
• Affordable Health Care: Without congressional action to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies, 157,000 North Carolinians will become uninsured and another 888,000 will see their health care premiums double. The average Marketplace enrollee in North Carolina is expected to pay $672 more per year for the same health insurance. Rural residents will be hit even harder, paying $703 more per year. In rural eastern and western North Carolina, the counties of Dare, Hyde, Brunswick, Pamlico, and Transylvania would face the highest average loss of premium tax credits, paying more than $1,000 more per year. 

For people impacted by the shutdown, there are resources available: 

• The State of North Carolina has launched a new website to welcome talented and dedicated people to apply to work for the state. Interested public servants can apply on www.nc.gov/joinNC, where applicants will be connected with employment recruiters from the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) to help match their skills to job opportunities. Registration is open for the 2025 State of North Carolina Career Expo.
• Furloughed employees can explore temporary employment opportunities through Temporary Solutions and find support at OSHR’s Furlough Resource Center.
• Furloughed employees and their families may also access the Employee Assistance Program to seek guidance through the many challenges the shutdown causes. 
• Federal workers affected by the shutdown can apply for unemployment benefits online or by calling 855-435-6969.   (Source: Governor.nc.gov)

November 2025 Municipal Voting Dates 

• Oct. 3 — County boards begin sending absentee ballots to voters who requested them.
• Oct. 10: 5 p.m. — Voter registration deadline.
• Oct. 16–Nov. 1 — In-person early voting period. Ends at 3 p.m. the last day.
  • Find early voting sites and schedules in your county with the Early Voting Site Search.
  • Locations and voting hours are also available here: Early Voting Sites for the Nov. 4, 2025 Municipal Elections (PDF).
• Oct. 21: 5 p.m. — Absentee ballot request deadline.
• Nov. 4: 6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. — Polls open on Election Day.
• Nov. 4: 7:30 p.m. — Absentee ballot return deadline.
• Nov. 7: Noon — Deadline to show acceptable ID for voters who voted a provisional ballot because they did not have their ID with them when they checked in to vote.
  • Does not apply to voters who completed the ID Exception Form instead of showing photo ID.
• Nov. 7: Noon — Deadline for voters who voted a provisional ballot and still need to show HAVA ID or provide other missing information to their county board.
• Nov. 14: 11 a.m. — County boards of elections meet to certify election results.

Voting in Municipal Elections

To be eligible to vote in a municipal election, the voter must live in that municipality for at least 30 days before Election Day. North Carolina residents who live outside the boundaries of a municipality, such as an unincorporated part of a county, are not eligible to vote in a municipal election.

With the Voter Search tool, registered voters can determine if they live in an area that conducts municipal elections by finding a municipality under “Your Jurisdictions.”

All registered and eligible voters will find their sample ballot(s) in the “Your Sample Ballot” section of their Voter Search profile as they become available.

The voter registration deadline is 25 days before Election Day. Find out how to register.

For information on how to vote in municipal elections, see the following pages:

• Vote By Mail (Note: Not all municipalities offer absentee-by-mail voting.)
• Vote Early in Person (Note: Not all municipalities offer in-person early voting.)
• Vote in Person on Election Day

For more information about municipal elections in your area, contact your county board of elections.

Register Now! 2025 NASW-NC Fall Conference! 

Get ready for the 2025 Virtual NASW-NC Fall Conference on November 17-18! This is a dynamic event designed for the entire social work profession. Whether you’re a student just starting out or an experienced LCSW running your own practice, this conference is packed with engaging sessions to spark fresh ideas, expand your knowledge, and give you practical tools you can use in your professional journey. Year after year, attendees rave about how the workshops offered in this conference transform their practice and strengthen their expertise. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it!

Here’s a preview of some of the engaging sessions you’ll experience:

• Coordinating Social Services for Refugees: Improving Integration Outcomes
• Multistate Licensure and the Future of the Social Work Compact
• Having the Hard Conversations: Death and the Dying Process 
• Measuring Program Success with Outcome & Summative Evaluations with Cultural Humility 
• Healing Through Connection: The Theraplay Approach to Attachment-Based Therapy

…and many more, covering everything from advanced clinical tools to macro-level advocacy.

 Secure your spot today and be part of the conversations shaping the future of social work!

You Get ALL the CE!

Because we are in a virtual setting, you benefit by getting MORE CE! Each attendee who participates in the entire Fall Conference live will receive a CE transcript of attendance reflecting 13 LIVE contact hours of Continuing Education (up to 4 of which are Ethics CE). The conference will also be recorded, and for the other sessions you don’t select to attend live, you could receive up to 18 additional hours of asynchronous CE (for a total of 31 hours of Continuing Education possible).

CLICK HERE to View More Information & Register TODAY! 

In case you missed it -Social Work Compact is Law

On Friday, June 13th, HB 231 -Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact was signed into law by Governor Josh Stein. Because of our significant advocacy and lobbying efforts to introduce and pass this bill, the National Association of Social Workers North Carolina (NASW-NC) staff and members were invited to join the Governor for this historic bill signing ceremony. Earlier in the week, HB231 was heard on the Senate floor for its final vote in the NC Senate, where it passed unanimously 44-0.North Carolina is now the 29th state to become a member of the Social Work Licensure Compact.

The Social Work Licensure Compact was activated in fall 2024, upon the passage of the bill in 7 states, however, multistate licenses are NOT yet being issued. The implementation period for the Compact is expected to take 12-24 months from when it was activated; it is only after the implementation period that multistate licenses will be issued. You can learn more details about the Social Work Licensure Compact and the Compact Commission by going to the Compact website here. 

NASW-NC's top priority for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 legislative sessions has been the passage of the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact.

NASW-NC is also the ONLY organization lobbying and advocating for the entire Social Work Profession at the North Carolina Legislature. The NASW-NC lobbying team would not exist without the incredible support of NASW-NC membership. If you are already a member of NASW-NC, THANK YOU. Our members are the only reason that we have been able to do this work! 

NASW-NC is not federally funded; we are not state-funded. We are funded by the members of NASW and will not exist to advocate for you and the social work profession without YOU!  We are able to do more if we have a large voice and robust membership. If you are not yet a member, please join NASW and join us in our advocacy efforts.    
 

Read the Social Work compact press release here. 

Watch the Governor's bill signing ceremony with NASW-NC staff and members here.

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Thank you to the members of NASW-NC for supporting the advocacy work we do. We would not be able to advocate for the social work profession or social justice issues in North Carolina without a robust and engaged NASW membership. If you are a social worker and not a member, we ask that you join NASW today. Our voice is louder with your membership.

Learn more about NASW-NC membership here.

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