Georgia lawmakers will begin the ultimate leg of redistricting in lower than a month after they convene on the state Capitol for a particular session.
U.S. Census Bureau knowledge confirmed Georgia’s inhabitants grew by 1 million individuals from 2010 to 2020. Based mostly on a rise in inhabitants in metropolitan areas and shifts within the rural areas, lawmakers will develop legislative districts in Atlanta and the encompassing suburban areas.
The Republican-led Legislature should redraw congressional, legislative and native district maps to mirror the rise in inhabitants. In contrast to members of the Common Meeting, members of Congress do not must stay of their district.
An early Senate draft of the congressional district maps has adjusted the district strains in suburban sixth and seventh Congressional Districts.
U.S. Census knowledge exhibits the seventh Congressional District, positioned north of Atlanta, has greater than 100,000 residents than it ought to. Every of the state’s 14 congressional districts should have about 765,000 residents to be separated equally. Republicans additionally maintain the bulk among the many state’s congressional delegation. There are eight Republican U.S. representatives and 6 Democratic representatives for Georgia.
The seventh Congressional District consists of parts of Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. The draft, launched by the Senate final week, expands the district extra into Gwinnett County. Census knowledge exhibits the county has grown extra various over the previous decade. Democrat U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux secured a one-point win over Republican Wealthy McCormick within the 2020 basic election for the seventh Congressional District. The seat beforehand was held by a Republican since 2000.
U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath flipped the seat from Republican to Democrat within the sixth Congressional District in 2018. She is serving her second time period for the district, which incorporates elements of Cobb, Fulton and DeKalb counties. The Senate draft shifts DeKalb, the place greater than 80% of the inhabitants voted for President Joe Biden within the 2020 presidential election, extra into the 4th Congressional District, which is traditionally Democratic. The Senate expanded one other aspect of the district line into Forsyth County, the place former President Donald Trump received about 66% of the vote.
The Home additionally should draft its proposals for all the district strains. The Legislature will convene Nov. 3 to deliberate over its ultimate variations of the maps. The governor has the ultimate say to veto or approve the maps.
