ASHEVILLE - Barring court action, many city and other Buncombe County voters will soon find themselves in new state legislative districts.

Full details of the historic court-ordered General Assembly map redrawing were still emerging Sept. 18, the day they were approved by full legislature.

But some pieces are clear, including the transfer of neighborhoods such as the River Arts District and East West Asheville from a district now represented by one of the legislature's most liberal House members to one held by a more moderate Democrat.

New political lines

"We have this pie-shaped division of the county going on," said Democratic Rep. Susan Fisher, describing the proposed changes to her 114th District. It covers the most liberal parts of the county. But it, along with Buncombe's other House and Senate districts, would see a more "balanced" distribution of Democratic and Republican voters under new maps, Fisher said.

That's if the districts aren't blocked by the three-judge panel that on Sept. 3 ordered them redrawn. The General Assembly was to create new political lines by Sept. 18 using special parameters meant to fix what judges called "extreme partisan gerrymanders." Legislators met that deadline, and if the judges agree the maps meet the parameters, the new districts will be used for the 2020 elections. Otherwise, new ones will drawn by a court-appointed expert.

Most state Democrats opposed the new districts. That included the four Democratic legislators representing parts of Buncombe who said the new lines were an improvement but still flawed by the process. The county's one Republican lawmaker, Sen. Chuck Edwards, of Hendersonville, supported the maps.

Local lawmakers and redistricting experts said digital versions of the new maps with municipalities, communities and precincts overlaid were not available Sept. 18.

But there were some important details that were clear. Here's a breakdown:

114th House District

Current map: Covers most of Asheville. Like all Buncombe districts, judges ruled it an "extreme partisan gerrymander." The 114th, judges said, packed Democratic voters into one district in an attempt to give Republicans a better chance at winning in the county's two other House districts. Represented by Fisher, one of the House's most progressive members.

New map: Has 27% of Asheville's population. Includes more conservative areas of Sandy Mush, Leicester and west Buncombe, which are now in the 116th. No longer covers Montford, the River Arts District, areas around Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, the Livingston Street area, East West Asheville and the Burton Street neighborhood.

115th House District

Current map. Covers the biggest part of the county, including the north, east and southeast. It includes Weaverville, as well as some eastern parts of Asheville. Represented by Rep. John Ager, D-Fairview.

New map. Has 30% of Asheville and portions of Swannanoa and Warren Wilson College, which are now in the 114th. Weaverville is no longer in the district.

116th House District

Current map. West and south Buncombe, including Sandy Mush and Leicester. Also South Asheville and parts of Biltmore Forest. Held by Rep. Brian Turner, D-Biltmore Forest, who won the district from incumbent Republican Tim Moffitt in 2014.

New map. Southeast Buncombe, including 43% of Asheville's population. Covers many neighborhoods now in the 114th, including Montford, he River Arts District, areas around A-B Tech, the Livingston Street area, East West Asheville and the Burton Street neighborhood.

48th Senate District

Current map. All of Henderson and Transylvania counties. Also southern Buncombe and part of South Asheville, including Biltmore Park. Held by Edwards. Judges ruled it an "extreme partisan gerrymander," saying it attempted to give Republicans an advantage by taking in the most conservative areas of south Buncombe.

New map. It still comprises all of Henderson and Transylvania, but no longer takes in southwestern Buncombe areas such as southern Hominy. It now takes in eastern Buncombe, including Black Mountain and Montreat.

49th Senate District

Current map. Most of Buncombe, including the center, north, east and northwest. A large portion of Asheville. Held by Sen. Terry Van Duyn, D-Biltmore Forest, who is a candidate for lieutenant governor. Judges said it packed too many Democratic voters in one district in attempt to make the 48th District safe for Republicans.

New map. Western and central Buncombe, including all of Asheville.

Why Democrats opposed, GOP supported

While Buncombe Democrats said the maps were better than the ones ruled unconstitutional gerrymanders, they said the process used to make them was flawed.

Fisher said the public hearing held by the majority Republicans seemed "like a mere afterthought." The 114th District House member also said GOP leadership shouldn't have used the illegal maps as a starting point, but rather a more neutral version.

More: How will Asheville, Buncombe County be affected by gerrymandering decision?

NC gerrymandering: Turner, McGrady lead reform effort on redistricting

The main complaint surrounded how legislators were allowed to create districts rather than independent map drawers. Judges allowed that, but Turner said it would have been better to direct nonpartisan legislative staff to do it.

That's what he and Fisher did when it was time to draw their districts, Turner said.

"I think that undue weight was given to incumbency protection versus drawing better maps," he said.

Turner said he hopes judges rule against the maps and appoint an expert to draw a new version.

He and anti-gerrymandering reformers, such as Van Duyn, have supported forming an independent redistricting commission.

"I just know human nature being what it is, we can’t expect legislators not to try to put their thumb on the scale," Van Duyn said.

But Edwards said the maps followed new and old rulings by judges and had the support of 13 Democratic senators. The new 48th District map avoids many of the criticisms of anti-gerrymandering activists.

"No municipality has been cracked and no voting precinct has been split," Edwards said.