‘People Are Very Upset’: Georgia Halts Plan to Redraw Maps After Black Leaders, Protestors Take Over Capitol
Georgia lawmakers have agreed to hold off on redrawing the state’s legislative maps during a special legislative session.
Several Republican lawmakers wrote Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday. CBS Atlanta reported that they were clarifying that the special session would focus on tax relief and ratifying the state’s gas tax suspension.
“Changes to Georgia’s maps should take place only when members of the General Assembly and citizens have been given ample opportunity to gather the facts, provide input, and engage in meaningful discussion,” the letter reads, according to CBS Atlanta.
“The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais reaffirmed that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional in all forms. Georgia’s legislative maps were drawn intentionally to create majority-minority districts, a practice which has now been deemed unconstitutional,” Kem responded.
“At the same time, the General Assembly failed to pass legislation addressing a self-imposed deadline mandating changes to Georgia’s election system, requiring a special session before July 1, 2026. I do not believe there is reason to delay the apportionment process, especially with the legislature already convening. Legislative districting, however, is the responsibility of the General Assembly, and it is within their discretion to defer the issue until a later date.”
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s redrawn congressional map earlier this year, ruling it an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
Critics Warned Proposed Changes Could Dilute Black Voting Power
Atlanta Black Star spent Tuesday and Wednesday at the Capitol in downtown Atlanta with the NAACP, members of the clergy, lawmakers, and more. This was before the true intentions of the session were released.
State Sen. Nikki Merritt told Atlanta Black Star it was a move to dilute Black power.
“There is no reason for us to be redrawing maps at this time,” Merritt said. “It is a racist response to dilute Black power to remove Black legislators and to have Black people in this state have representation. That is the only reason we are here to redraw maps.”
Even if the maps were redrawn by the Republican-controlled Georgia Legislature, it’s not guaranteed that the party would get what it wants.
Partisan gerrymandering is when lawmakers pack certain citizens into fewer districts or divide them to dilute their voting strength as a bloc. If Democratic-leaning voters who aren’t white were spread across districts outside metro Atlanta, it could make more seats appear to lean Republican.
“We have to remember in Georgia there’s a black belt that runs below Macon to Savannah over to Columbus and all the way down to Bainbridge of African Americans voting in huge numbers,” attorney Gerald Griggs told Atlanta Black Star. “This is about all the people of Georgia having adequate representation.”
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock told CBS that Georgians are upset by this.
“As I move around Georgia, ordinary people are very upset by this. And I think, you know, when you try to diminish people’s voices, they don’t take kindly to that,” he said.
“I wrote something down earlier today, S-U-V. Stay United and Vote,” Vivian Moore, the DeKalb NAACP President, said. “That’s what we got to do.”