Breaking: Georgia legislature passes gerrymandered state senate map giving GOP 59% of seats in state Biden won with 49.5%. 100% of population growth in past decade from communities of color but maps create no new majority-minority seats & entrench white GOP power for next decade

Final vote completes redistricting of Georgia General Assembly

POLITICS
By Mark Niesse, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1 hour ago

The Georgia General Assembly finalized new legislative maps Monday with district boundaries drawn to ensure Republicans maintain control at the Capitol as Democrats gain ground in a changing state.

The state House voted 96-70 on maps that redistrict the state Senate, sending the bill to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature. The Senate already signed off on maps for both chambers last week, and state lawmakers will next focus on Georgia’s 14 congressional districts.

The completion of state redistricting cements Republican majorities at the Georgia Capitol heading into next year’s elections. While the maps favor the GOP, they also enable Democrats to pick up several seats in fast-growing metro areas.

{snip}

Because Republicans hold a majority in both the state House and Senate, they have enough votes to draw maps that give them an advantage in future elections. Democrats attempted to do the same thing when they were in power 20 years ago.

{snip}

About the Author

Mark Niesse Follow Mark Niesse on twitter

Mark Niesse covers voting rights and elections for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He also reports on the Georgia House of Representatives and government. He has been a reporter at the AJC since 2013 following a decade at The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Ala.