On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that certain congressional, state Senate, and state House districts in Georgia were drawn in a racially discriminatory manner. The judge, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones, issued a 516-page order that mandates the creation of an additional Black-majority congressional district.
Quick Read
- Federal Judge Steve Jones ruled that certain Georgia congressional, state Senate, and state House districts were racially discriminatory.
- The ruling mandated the creation of an additional Black-majority congressional district.
- Judge Jones ordered the state to establish two new Black-majority districts in the state Senate and five in the state House.
- A deadline of December 8 was set for the Georgia Republican majority General Assembly and the governor to redraw the district maps.
- Governor Brian Kemp called for a special session starting on November 29 for redrawing districts, though it doesn’t necessarily indicate opposition to an appeal.
- The decision followed an eight-day trial in September where plaintiffs argued for federal intervention to ensure fair representation for Black voters.
- Georgia’s progress in voting equality since 1965 was acknowledged, but evidence presented showed unequal political opportunity.
- This case is part of a broader wave of voting rights litigation in several states following a U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act.
- Judge Jones emphasized that he would not allow “unlawful” districts for the 2024 elections, potentially requiring a special legislative session.
- An appeal is expected, and the ruling may affect the balance of congressional seats in Georgia.
- The order could also impact Republican majorities in the state House and Senate.
- Judge Jones clarified that his decision didn’t imply the General Assembly or Georgia Republicans were racist, as the Voting Rights Act did not require such a finding.
The Associated Press has the story:
Judge: GA’s congressional & legislative districts are discriminatory and must be redrawn
Newslooks- ATLANTA (AP)
On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that certain congressional, state Senate, and state House districts in Georgia were drawn in a racially discriminatory manner. The judge, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones, issued a 516-page order that mandates the creation of an additional Black-majority congressional district.
Furthermore, Judge Jones ordered the state of Georgia to establish two new Black-majority districts in its 56-member state Senate and five new Black-majority districts in its 180-member state House. The judge set a deadline of December 8 for the Georgia Republican majority General Assembly and the governor to rectify the district maps. He warned that if lawmakers failed to do so, he would personally redraw the districts.
Following the ruling, Governor Brian Kemp called for a special session to begin on November 29 to redraw both congressional and legislative districts. It’s worth noting that this scheduling decision does not necessarily indicate opposition to an appeal, according to a spokesperson for the governor.
The judge’s decision comes after an eight-day trial in September, during which plaintiffs argued that Black voters in Georgia still faced opposition from white voters and required federal intervention to ensure fair representation. The state, on the other hand, argued that court intervention on behalf of Black voters was unnecessary.
Judge Jones acknowledged Georgia’s progress toward voting equality since 1965 but stated that the evidence presented in court showed that the political process in the state did not offer equal openness and opportunity to everyone.
This case in Georgia is part of a broader wave of litigation following the U.S. Supreme Court’s earlier decision to uphold its interpretation of the Voting Rights Act. Similar challenges to congressional districts are ongoing in several other states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.
Judge Jones emphasized that he would not allow the 2024 elections to proceed with districts he deemed “unlawful,” which may necessitate a special legislative session since lawmakers were not scheduled to reconvene until January. An appeal by the state could potentially alter this schedule.
While an appeal is expected, the ruling has the potential to shift one of Georgia’s 14 congressional seats from Republican to Democratic control. The congressional map was previously redrawn by GOP lawmakers in 2021, changing the balance from an 8-6 Republican majority to a 9-5 Republican majority. Judge Jones ruled that minority opportunity districts could not be eliminated when redrawing maps.
The order to create new legislative districts could also narrow Republican majorities in the state House and Senate, although this may not be sufficient to result in a Democratic takeover.
Judge Jones emphasized that his decision was based on a thorough review of the evidence, highlighting that despite a decade of population growth among non-white populations, the number of Black-majority congressional and state Senate districts remained unchanged. He clarified that his order did not imply that the General Assembly or Georgia Republicans were racist, as the Voting Rights Act did not require such a finding.
