All On The Line: General Assembly’s New Legislative Maps Don’t Reflect Today’s Georgia
For Immediate Release:
November 3, 2021
Contact:
Brian Gabriel
gabriel@redistrictingaction.org
All On The Line: General Assembly’s New Legislative Maps Don’t Reflect Today’s Georgia
Atlanta, GA—Today, Theron Johnson, Georgia State Director of All On The Line, released the following statement in response to the Georgia General Assembly’s release of draft maps for State House and State Senate that reduce the number of competitive districts in the state:
“Republicans in the Georgia General Assembly have introduced a set of maps which eliminate competitive seats, allowing politicians to dodge any real electoral challenge, and lock out voters from choosing their preferred candidates. In a surprise move and less than 48 hours after map release, the Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee announced a public comment period tomorrow with no option to participate virtually. The legislators in charge of this irresponsible process clearly have little desire to solicit public input.
“Georgia Republicans are showing voters that they just don’t care about and won’t prioritize their best interests. Instead, what we have is a subpar, last-minute opportunity for public testimony and a play to protect incumbents through gerrymandered maps crafted to eliminate competitive districts.
“Looking back to where we were a decade ago, today’s Georgia looks different—our state has grown and our demographic landscape has shifted significantly. Voters deserve a fair map that reflects those differences. The Republicans who spearheaded the map-drawing process don’t want to update their politics to accommodate a new electorate. Instead, they would rather manipulate maps. Georgians deserve more—they deserve leaders who will serve the public and not just their own careers.”
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