Today, after Georgia Senate Republicans passed a State House map that continues depriving Black Georgia voters of a fair chance to elect candidates of their choosing, DPG Executive Director Kevin Olasanoye released the following statement:
“Disappointingly but unsurprisingly, Georgia Republicans passed a House map that shamefully puts Republicans’ own political interests ahead of the best interests of Georgia voters of color. Despite clear orders from a federal judge to rectify their racial gerrymanders, Republicans just shuffled them around – creating “new” majority-Black districts by dismantling majority-minority districts elsewhere. Georgia Republicans’ political gamesmanship with the redistricting process is an insult to Georgia voters and to our democracy.”
Background on Republicans’ House map:
Republicans’ proposed House map fails to expand Black voting power and changes 56 districts, causing abrupt district changes for 3 million Georgians.
- Republicans’ proposed House map violates the federal court’s order by dismantling two majority-minority districts in DeKalb and Gwinnett in order to create new ones. By contrast, Democrats’ proposed map complies with the Voting Rights Act and the federal court’s order by creating five new majority-minority districts in the areas the court identified for remedy.
- Unlike House Democrats’ map, which shifts only 23 districts, the Republican map changes 56 – creating confusing and unnecessary district changes for more than 3 million Georgians.
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