Georgia redistricting battle will move to the courts

[The Northerner]

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia lawmakers sped through the work of redrawing the state's political boundaries in three contentious weeks, but the fiercest fight over redistricting is likely just beginning and could take years to resolve.

The proposed legislative and congressional maps have cleared the Legislature and must now be submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice for approval under the Voting Rights Act. Georgia's history of discrimination at the ballot box means all election changes must pass muster with federal officials to ensure they don't weaken African-American voting power.

Even if the government signs off on the Republican-authored plans, they will almost certainly face a court challenge from Democrats, who contend the maps rip apart their party's successful efforts to forge multi-racial coalitions. After gaining control of the Legislature and governor's office in recent years, Republicans also won control of the once-a-decade, partisan redistricting process for the first time.

Republicans argued that the maps will be approved because the plans increase the number of districts in Georgia with a majority of black voters. But Democrats counter that by "packing" black voters into districts they are actually limiting their ability to have a greater political influence and to form coalitions with others to select their candidate of choice.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/article/Ga-redistricting-battle-will-move-to-the-courts-2151383.php

[Zax2me]

1. That they control.

Have to vote them out.
top to bottom.