Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will convene a special session of the General Assembly after a federal judge ruled the state’s congressional, state Senate, and state House districts were drawn in a racially discriminatory manner.
The special session will be held on Nov. 29 for the revisions.
Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Sen. Elena Parent (D–Atlanta) applauds the judge’s decision, saying it will require Georgia legislators to go back to the drawing board to redraw districts “so that black voter’s voices can be heard all over Georgia.”
“I and many others warned the Republican-controlled majority that their maps were illegal and in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” says Parent.
District 10 State Representative Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) says the state is appealing Judge Jones’ decision.
MORE Judge strikes down Georgia’s political maps
Violation of Voting Rights Act
In a ruling on Oct. 26, District Court Judge Steve C. Jones concluded that the GOP-drawn maps violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which bars practices or procedures that discriminate on the basis of race. That provision of the 1965 law recently survived a test before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Anderson defends the GOP-led reapportionment process.
“I felt confident then, as I do now, that our district maps are in full compliance with the Voting Rights Act.” – Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia)
“The maps we drew in 2021 were carefully thought out and debated. I felt confident then, as I do now, that our district maps are in full compliance with the Voting Rights Act. Unfortunately, Judge Jones does not agree,” Anderson told Now Habersham Thursday evening. “While the State is appealing the decision of Judge Jones, we are also preparing for a special session to redraw certain districts as directed if the appeal is not successful.”
Grading the maps
The non-partisan Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave Georgia’s 2021 congressional and state Senate maps an overall ‘F’ and the state House map a ‘B’ based on three categories: partisan fairness, competitiveness, and geographic features.
“Our court system could not be more important at a time like this. While I am grateful for the lifeline the court system has thrown at us and that the state legislature has the opportunity to rectify this injustice, we should not have to rely on a court or a judge to enforce what is right,” she said.
