Republican Lawmakers Under Fire
Plaintiffs seeking to overturn Georgia’s congressional and state legislative districts have raised concerns about the plans put forth by Republican state lawmakers. These plans aim to address the dilution of Black votes while preserving GOP power, but have been met with criticism.
Challenging the Notion of Protection
The Republican legislative leaders intended to comply with Judge Steve Jones’ order, which included the creation of additional Black-majority districts. However, state leaders are planning to argue that only districts consisting of one nonwhite group, such as Black voters, are legally protected. This challenges the notion of protection for coalition districts.
Hearing Scheduled
U.S. District Judge Steve Jones has scheduled a hearing on December 20th to determine whether he should accept the Republican plans. The state is expected to file its defense of the plans next week. During a special legislative session, Republican lawmakers emphasized their commitment to complying with Judge Jones’ directive. They were instructed to draw an additional Black-majority congressional district, two additional Black-majority state Senate districts, and five additional Black-majority state House districts.
Plaintiffs Allege Failure to Comply
However, the plaintiffs, echoing arguments made by Democrats during the session, argue that the Republican maps fall short of remedying the problems identified in the districts deemed illegal by Judge Jones. According to the lawyers representing one group of plaintiffs challenging state legislative districts, “the proposed plans do not come close to following the court’s order.” They claim that the plans fail to comply with the court’s directive.
Illegal Dismantling of Districts
The plaintiffs also contend that the Republican plans illegally dismantle districts that allow Black and other minority voters to elect their preferred candidates. Notably, a current district in suburban Atlanta, represented by U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, was eliminated while a new Black-majority district was created in Fulton, Douglas, Cobb, and Fayette counties.
Questioning Compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
Lawyers for the challenging plaintiffs argue that the state’s plans should be rejected because they relocate too many Black voters from outside the districts deemed illegal by Judge Jones. Instead of providing sufficient opportunities for Black voters in those areas to elect new representatives, the plans merely increase the number of majority-Black districts statewide. The plaintiffs argue that the shifts fail to address the specific harm identified by Judge Jones, particularly in the southern and western parts of metropolitan Atlanta.
Protection for Minority Districts
Lawyers for the plaintiffs challenging the congressional district argue that McBath’s current district in Gwinnett and Fulton counties is protected under the Voting Rights Act as a minority opportunity district, despite not being majority Black. They claim that a coalition of Black, Hispanic, and Asian voters in the 7th District vote cohesively as a group, facing opposition from white voters who consistently vote against nonwhite-preferred candidates. The state plans to argue that only districts composed of one nonwhite group, specifically Black voters, are legally protected. The plaintiffs, on the other hand, argue that as long as different minority communities support the same candidates cohesively, they can be counted together.
Alternative Plans Proposed
All of the plaintiffs have presented alternative plans from their own experts, which they believe would be less disruptive and yield fairer results for Black voters. Should Judge Jones reject the state plans, he could choose to accept the proposed plans from the plaintiffs or appoint a special master to draw new plans.
Continued Battle for Equal Opportunity
In conclusion, the plaintiffs argue that the Republican plans not only fail to comply with the court’s order but also undermine the Voting Rights Act. They believe that the state’s refusal to afford minority voters equal opportunity to participate in electoral politics is reflected in the General Assembly’s proposed remedy. The battle for equal opportunity continues as Georgia’s redistricting process unfolds.
