(The Center Square) – The Georgia House approved a new legislative map for state House districts Wednesday despite overwhelming opposition from Democrats.
The House approved the map, 99-79, along party lines. Democrats said the map was drafted in haste and offered a “better” alternative. Republicans said the map is fair and follows all of the legal guidelines for redistricting.
“We also very interestingly have provided the most public input and time on the map consideration that I could find in the record of the House,” Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment Chair Rep. Bonnie Rich, R-Suwanee, said.
(The Center Square) – The Georgia House approved a new legislative map for state House districts Wednesday despite overwhelming opposition from Democrats.
The House approved the map, 99-79, along party lines. Democrats said the map was drafted in haste and offered a “better” alternative. Republicans said the map is fair and follows all of the legal guidelines for redistricting.
“We also very interestingly have provided the most public input and time on the map consideration that I could find in the record of the House,” Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment Chair Rep. Bonnie Rich, R-Suwanee, said.
According to Loyola Marymount University’s Loyola Law School, a community of interest is a neighborhood or group of people “who have common policy concerns and would benefit from being maintained in a single district.”
“Many of those precincts appear to have been split either for partisan purposes or to harm minority voters,” Beverly said.
The Democratic caucus also drafted a map in response to the Republican-led committee’s version. The Democratic proposal includes more majority-minority districts than the approved map. It reverses the pairing of Democrat incumbents in Gwinnett County, which saw the most growth over the decade. Beverly said it considers public feedback and reflects communities of interest.
“Now, I want the people of Georgia to know that there’s a better map available. It’s out there. It’s on the website, but the rules of this body of structures so that we can not even bring it to the floor,” Beverly said. “We cannot offer it as an amendment. It would not get a vote if it did. It just might pass.”
Rich said Democrats were advised not to meet with her to discuss the maps, but she included the recommendations from those who did.
The map also must be approved by the Senate and Gov. Brian Kemp to become law.
By Nyamekye Daniel | The Center Square
