Georgia Republicans Sued For Gerrymandering Black Voters Out Of Elections

Civil and voting rights groups have sued Georgia Republicans for attempting to gerrymander black voter influence out of elections.

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Georgia  GOP Sued For Trying To Gerrymander Black Influence Out Of Elections

The ACLU of Georgia said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA:

The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Georgia, and WilmerHale filed a federal lawsuit today on behalf of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the Sixth District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and several individual Georgia voters challenging newly drawn state House and Senate district lines as unlawfully minimizing the voting strength of Black Georgians.

The challenged maps were approved by the General Assembly before Thanksgiving, yet Gov. Brian Kemp delayed his formal signature until the last possible moment — this afternoon — dramatically shortening the time that courts will have to evaluate the legality before the March filing deadline for the 2022 primary elections. 

The lawsuit charges that the newly drawn maps deny Black residents an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect candidates of choice, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. New political maps are drawn as part of a once-in-a-decade redistricting process triggered by census data. They determine the allocation of political power, representation, and access to resources at every level of government across the country for the next 10 years.

Georgia Republicans Are Showing A Belief That They Can Only Stay In Power If Black People Have No Influence

The Georgia maps are an extension of the white Republican minority in the state trying to hang on to power in the face of growing demographic change which is leading to a reshaping of Georgia politics.

Georgia Republicans legally should have created six new black-dominated districts due to the explosive growth in the state’s African-American population. Instead, the Republicans attempted to draw district lines to dilute the black influence on elections.

Republicans are fighting a losing battle. Georgia’s demographic tide will eventually sweep them away. Republicans are making desperately illegal moves, which should be shot down in court.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association