On Thursday, a federal judge upheld Georgia’s Republican-dominated legislature’s congressional district maps, effectively dash Democrats’ hopes for winning any seat and preserve Republicans’ 9-5 edge over them in its House delegation.
The map adds a majority-Black district west of Atlanta while dismantling another represented by Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath – prompting protest from voters and civil rights organizations alike.
Republic Voting Rights Act
Georgia Republicans who drew Georgia’s new congressional and legislative maps are celebrating after having been approved by a court, as this will likely secure their 9-5 majority among 14 congressional seats for 2024 elections. But this court decision also portends another legal fight over district boundaries that is sure to ensue.
In October, Jones issued a ruling finding that previous districts unlawfully dilute Black voters and ordered legislators to rectify it. To comply, legislators devised new maps featuring one majority-Black district in west metro Atlanta as well as areas in which previous maps had dilutived Black votes.
Critics including civil rights organizations and Democratic congresswoman Lucy McBath of Georgia’s 7th district believe lawmakers violated the Voting Rights Act by dissolving coalition districts in Gwinnett, Fulton, Douglas and Cobb counties to replace it with majority white ones.
Minority Opportunity Districts
This ruling likely ensures Republicans retain a 9-5 edge over Democrats in Georgia’s 14 congressional seats; however, Judge McCrea’s approval leaves open the possibility of Democrats winning one or two additional seats come 2024.
The General Assembly’s new districts adhere to Jones’ October ruling on racial gerrymandering and include two majority-Black districts for metro Atlanta’s western part and dismantle of one that included southern Gwinnett County and northern Fulton County where Black, Hispanic and Asian voters all lean toward Democrats.
Plaintiffs countered by noting that while Jones’ new districts may be more minority-friendly, they still dilute Black voting power by shifting voters between congressional districts. Furthermore, they noted that Judge Jones failed to address “coalition districts”, where one group outnumbers another and can help elect certain candidates; this argument was disregarded.
Congressional Districts
Jones approved new maps that retain Georgia Republicans’ 9-5 advantage in its congressional delegation and altered significantly one Democratic district represented by Rep. Lucy McBath of Atlanta’s northern suburbs by eliminating its coalition voter composition for one primarily representing white residents.
Judge Khosla rejected arguments from Democrats and voting rights groups that dismantling of McBath’s coalition district violated separate sections of the Voting Rights Act, which means she may face an uphill fight to remain in Congress; nonetheless she pledged her allegiance and promised not to give up her fight for victory.
Judge White wrote in his ruling that the new map makes clear that Republicans complied with his order requiring the creation of Black majority districts in areas of state where vote dilution had occurred, an essential aspect of this ruling. But this decision also left intact several districts that the judge had previously dismantled – such as a suburban Republican district that encompasses part of Athens city itself.
