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A new redrawn map of Georgia’s congressional districts was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday, following a special meeting held this week by state lawmakers. Photo provided by Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia House of Representatives has approved the redrawn congressional map, passing the motion ahead of a deadline set by a judge. Photo courtesy of the State of Georgia
December 9 (UPI) — Georgia governor Brian Kemp has signed a law to rewrite the state map after the first one, also written by Republican state lawmakers, is unconstitutional.
Kemp sign the law into law on Friday, a day after the Georgia House of Representatives approved the rewritten map ahead of the deadline set by the judge during a special session.
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The new map sees the 6th Congressional District of Georgia expanded to include parts of the cities of Fulton and Cobb, where the Black voting age population will reach 51.75%.
A federal judge previously presided over a Georgia electoral district map the base, violating a section of the Copyright Act of 1964.
US District Court Judge Steven Jones held a hearing at the end of this month to ensure that the new maps are compatible. The review is scheduled to take place on December 20.
Jones’ first order ordered state lawmakers to draw a pair of new districts with a majority of blacks in the state Senate and five in the House of Representatives.
On November 29, Georgia opened a special legal meeting to respond to the judge’s decision, ending Thursday evening.
The new map was passed largely along party lines with Republican lawmakers pushing to match the judge’s comments.
“The solution that includes the majority of the black congressional district west of Atlanta is from page 509 often referred to as the order of judge Jones so it is back, it falls We in the General Assembly will comply with the order of Judge Jones as we are allowed to do. ,” said Rep. Rob Leverette to his friends at the House Thursday, according to WGXA-TV.
“The bill you have will use a congressional map as is,” he said.
However, some Democrats say that the new map is a change and does not fulfill the spirit of the judge’s order.
“Georgia’s Republican lawmakers have passed an illegal map, defying a judge’s order to redraw our state’s districts after they violated the Bill of Rights,” Rep. Sam Park. told home on thursday.
The new map “is definitely not fair for Georgia voters and especially for Black voters and voters of color, their freedom to choose their elected representatives is being attacked and undermined.” he said.