The Georgia Republican Legislature Management introduced the newest version of the proposed Georgia Congressional Redistricting Map Friday, a month after a federal decide ruled the earlier model of the map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and discriminated in opposition to Black Georgia voters.
The brand new map would utterly change the geographical and racial make-up of the present Seventh Congressional District, represented by Democrat Lucy McBath. The Seventh Congressional District, as at present drawn, contains a big portion of the Atlanta Metro space, together with most of Gwinnett County and a part of Fulton County. In accordance with the US Census Bureau, the racial make-up of the present Seventh District is about 31 % White, 30 % Black and 13 % Asian. The proposed Seventh District would transfer among the present District Seven voters to District Six and embrace a lot of Dawson and Forsyth Counties. In accordance with the US Census Bureau, Dawson County is 94.7 % White, and Forsyth is 72.6 % White. The brand new map would additionally possible create a 9-5 benefit for Georgia Republicans, who at present management the state’s legislature. It’s unclear if the brand new map violates the October decide’s order.
McBath’s marketing campaign supervisor, Jake Orvis, criticized the newly handed maps, telling native Atlanta Information First (ANF), “Georgia Republicans have but once more tried to subvert voters by altering the principles. Congresswoman McBath refuses to let an extremist few within the state legislature decide when her time serving Georgians in Congress is completed.” Georgia Home Speaker Jon Burns defended the brand new maps, telling ANF, “This map meets our promise when this course of started. It totally complies with the decide’s order, whereas additionally following Georgia’s conventional redistricting rules. We look ahead to passing this honest redistricting plan.”
The October twenty sixth order from Decide Steve C. Jones of the US District Courtroom for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division required the Georgia legislature to redraw an earlier model of the proposed Georgia Congressional map that doesn’t dilute the voting energy of Black Georgia voters. The order continued, stating that if the Georgia Legislature didn’t create a map that didn’t violate Part 2, the courtroom would create another treatment. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp responded to the order by issuing a proclamation forcing the Georgia Legislature again into session to go a brand new map.
Georgia is just not the one state dealing with allegations of racial gerrymandering forward of the 2024 US Normal Election. Tennessee, North Dakota, Louisiana, Alabama and South Carolina have all confronted authorized challenges to proposed maps primarily based on racial gerrymandering.
