RALEIGH -- Late Thursday, Raleigh Wake Citizens Association and 14 Wake County voters filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that new local district lines adopted by the General Assembly this month violate their civil rights.  Local redistricting bills have also been introduced this year for Cabarrus, Moore, Stanley and Rockingham counties, and Greensboro.

Anita Earls with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, which is representing the plaintiffs, says redistricting at the local level represents efforts by Republicans to affect election results at every level of the state.

"We've seen a pattern of large number of changes to districts for city councils, school boards and county commissions around the state."

In Wake County, the districts were redrawn by the state Legislature after four Democrats were elected to the County Commission last fall. Clark says she's participating in the suit because she values her voice as a citizen.