Georgia state officials unveiled their proposed congressional map for the state on Wednesday.
Analysts believe Republicans will likely gain a seat from Georgia based on the proposed changes. The state currently has eight Republicans and six Democrats in the House.
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“Today, we have released a proposed map that reflects Georgia’s growing, diverse population, respects jurisdictional lines and communities of interest, and conforms to applicable legal standards including the Voting Rights Act,” David Ralston, Georgia House of Representatives speaker, said in a statement.
The way in which an election map is drawn can have a significant impact on elections because it determines the Democrat-to-Republican voter ratio in each district.
If the map is approved, Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath’s Atlanta district will become more Republican. Democratic Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux’s district will get more Democrats, opening up Republican votes for surrounding seats.
In his statement, Ralston contrasted the new map with the one drawn in the early 2000s under Democratic control.
“Unlike the unconstitutional maps drawn by a Democratic Majority in 2001, we have sought to plan for Georgia’s future rather than cling to its past,” he said.
However, Democrats in the state are strongly objecting to the new map, claiming that it is overly partisan. The Democratic Party of Georgia released a statement, saying, “The congressional map Republicans have proposed is a slap in the face to Georgia voters.”
Scott Hogan, executive director of the Democratic Party of Georgia, wrote in the statement, “Republicans are scared to death of Georgia voters, and they know the only way they can win is by rigging the system.”
Both chambers in the Georgia General Assembly are controlled by Republicans. The governor is also a Republican, and the state has historically voted Republican in national elections.
In 2020, however, the state voted for Joe Biden and elected two Democrats to the Senate.
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The map will next be subject to the legislative process in Georgia and will be debated on and receive public testimony. It must be approved by both chambers in the Georgia General Assembly in order to go into effect.
If approved, the map will go into effect for the next 10 years until the next census is conducted and a new map is drawn.
