- Georgia’s Republican-led Legislature gave final approval to a redrawn congressional map on Thursday.
- The map’s proponents argue it technically complies with a judge’s order for a new majority-Black seat by altering the layout of four safely Democratic districts in the Atlanta metropolitan area, which leaves the partisan composition of Georgia’s congressional delegation unchanged.
- Democrats have vowed to challenge the redrawn map in court, which may lead to the appointment of a special master.
For Georgia Democrats who didn’t get what they want out of a special legislative session to redraw voting districts, their retort Thursday was simple: “We’ll see you in court.”
State lawmakers on Thursday completed a special session with the House voting 98-71 to give final passage to a congressional map that preserves a 9-5 edge for Republicans in Georgia’s congressional delegation to Washington, while creating a court-ordered Black-majority district on the west side of metro Atlanta and sharply transforming a congressional district now represented by Democrat Lucy McBath
“This plan adds the required district; it complies with Judge Jones’ order,” said House Redistricting and Reapportionment Committee Chairman Rob Leverett, a Republican from Elberton. “It fulfills our obligation as a General Assembly with respect to congressional districts.”
GEORGIA’S REDRAWN CONGRESSIONAL MAP NEARS PASSAGE AS SPECIAL REDISTRICTING SESSION APPROACHES LIKELY END
It joins a state House and state Senate map that also would safeguard GOP control of Georgia’s General Assembly. All three districting plans must be signed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp before they become law.
But while Kemp would normally have the last word, that won’t be the case this time. Instead, lawyers for the state and those who successfully sued to overturn earlier GOP-drawn maps will be back before U.S. District Judge Steve Jones on Dec. 20.
They’ll argue whether lawmakers’ actions fulfilled Jones’ earlier order,…
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