RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - The fate of North Carolina's March 15 primary election now rests with the U.S. Supreme Court.

State redistricting leaders have appealed to the high court, asking it to stay a federal court order that told officials they must redraw the District 1 and 12 congressional district lines because they had been drawn with race as the key factor.

"We hope the U.S. Supreme Court will recognize the urgency and gravity of these questions and issue a stay,” according to a statement issued by redistricting leaders David Lewis (R-Harnett) and Bob Rucho (R-Mecklenburg).

The state's appeal to the federal court was not granted. That's when the appeal was pushed to the highest court.

Absentee ballotting has already begun in North Carolina, with thousands of ballots requested and hundreds already returned.