The Republican leadership of the Georgia Legislature recently unveiled the latest version of its proposed Georgia Congressional Redistricting Map, a move which comes about a month after a federal judge decreed that its predecessor contravened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and amounted to discrimination against Black voters in Georgia. Details of this development as well as the judge’s decision can be found elsewhere.
Among the most significant changes under the new redistricting map would be a complete overhaul of the racial and geographical character of the Seventh Congressional District, currently under Democratic Representative, Lucy McBath. The present Seventh Congressional District, which comprises a substantial part of the Atlanta Metro area including most of Gwinnett County and a part of Fulton County, is set to undergo dramatic alterations as a result of the proposed changes. Consequent on this, certain residents of the current District Seven will find themselves in District Six, while the Seventh District will incorporate large chunks of Dawson and Forsyth Counties.
As per the data from the US Census Bureau, the racial distribution in the current Seventh District comprises about 31 percent white, 30 percent Black, and 13 percent Asian residents. By way of contrast, Dawson County is predominantly white with a racial composition of 94.7 percent while Forsyth, though less so, still comprises a significant white population of 72.6 percent. If the new map is implemented, it may result in a 9-5 advantage for the Georgia Republicans, who currently hold sway over the state’s legislature.
However, the ultimate legality of the proposed map remains undetermined, as doubts persist about its compliance with the judge’s October order. Meanwhile, the new redistricting proposals have already begun to spark controversy.
Jake Orvis, campaign manager for Representative McBath, has been particularly critical of the new map, expressing his criticism to local Atlanta News First, whereby he accused Georgia Republicans of attempting to subvert voters by changing the rules.
Georgia is not an isolated case in the re-emergence of allegations of racial gerrymandering ahead of the 2024 U.S. General Election. Similar cases have been reported in Tennessee, North Dakota, Louisiana, Alabama and South Carolina.