A federal judge has approved Republican-drawn voting maps for Georgia after ruling that the state legislature had complied with orders to allow Black voters an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.
During a December special session, the GOP-led legislature had drawn new state and congressional maps. This was done after a federal judge in Atlanta said the original districts created after the 2020 census violated the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Georgia's New Voting Maps
However, Democratic lawmakers and Black voters in the state have objected to the new voting maps. These created an additional majority Black congressional district but were unfavorable to Rep. Lucy McBath, a Democratic congresswoman.
Furthermore, it also ensured that Republican incumbents in both the Statehouse and Washington would be protected from a primary political challenger for their seats. However, Judge Steve C. Jones of the Northern District of Georgia said the legislature has now successfully complied with the Voting Rights Act with the new maps.
The new maps will likely maintain the 9-5 majority Republicans currently hold in the state's congressional delegation. Jones said the court found that the General Assembly fully complied with its order, as per the New York Times.
On top of the question of fair representation for Black voters, the situation also had various political stakes. With how narrowly divided the House of Representatives is and Black voters historically being inclined to support Democrats in the state, a new map is one of several redistricting decisions that could help Washington.
Black voters brought a challenge in Alabama that led to a surprise Supreme Court ruling this summer. It affirmed the core remaining tenet of the Voting Rights Act, which is that a federal court ordered that a new map be independently drawn after finding that the legislature had failed to resolve issues in the state.
Addressing Black Voter Inequality
Similar challenges are underway in several other states, particularly in the South of the United States. Several plaintiffs, including the African Methodist Episcopal Church and members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity brought the challenges to the state and congressional districts in Georgia.
The situation came when McBath said she would seek re-election in 2024 in the new 6th Congressional District in Fulton, Cobb, Douglas, and Fayette counties. According to the Associated Press, this would be done if the current congressional map is not overturned on appeal.
The development marks the second time the Democratic lawmaker has had to run in a second election in a row in a new district. The first was in 2022, when the district she had originally won was redrawn to favor Republicans.
Democrats are more likely than not to pursue a separate claim, either on appeal or in a distinct lawsuit. However, Judge Jones' decision on Thursday means that new maps will likely be used for at least the 2024 elections in Georgia, according to Politico.
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