A federal judge ruled Thursday that Georgia’s district lines must be redrawn to ensure adequate representation of Black voters in Congress and the General Assembly, finding that the state’s maps illegally weakened their political power.
The decision could result in the election of additional Black representatives next year, with Democrats hoping to gain a seat in the U.S. House, where Republicans currently hold a 222-212 majority and a 9-5 lead among the state’s representatives. Before the 2021 redistricting, the GOP held an 8-6 advantage.
U.S. District Judge Steve Jones concluded that the Republican-controlled General Assembly violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits racial discrimination in elections. Jones required legislators to create additional districts with Black majorities, or something close to it, by Dec. 8.
Update: Here is the 516-page (!) ruling.