Federal Judge Strikes Down Georgia’s Congressional and State Legislative Maps
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an opinion released today, a federal judge struck down Georgia’s congressional and state legislative maps for violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
“Georgia’s congressional and state legislative maps clearly dilute the voting strength of Black voters across Georgia and deny those voters an equal opportunity to elect their candidates of choice,” said Elias Law Group Partner Abha Khanna. “We are thrilled that the Court struck down Georgia’s congressional and state legislative maps today and outlined a clear process by which Georgia voters will get relief before the 2024 election, whether or not Georgia’s General Assembly chooses to comply with this order.”
Elias Law Group attorneys initially filed a lawsuit on behalf of Georgia voters on December 30, 2021. A full trial was held in September 2023.
In today’s opinion, the Court set a December 8, 2023, deadline for the Georgia General Assembly to adopt new congressional and state legislative maps that comply with federal law before the 2024 election.
“This timeline balances the relevant equities and serves the public interest by providing the General Assembly with its rightful opportunity to craft a remedy in the first instance, while also ensuring that, if an acceptable remedy is not produced, there will be time for the Court to fashion one—as the Court will not allow another election cycle on redistricting plans that the Court has determined on a full trial record to be unlawful,” wrote United States District Judge Steve C. Jones.
“The evidence before this Court shows that Georgia has not reached the point where the political process has equal openness and equal opportunity for everyone. Accordingly, the Court issues this Order to ensure that Georgia continues to move toward equal openness and equal opportunity for everyone to participate in the electoral system,” United States District Judge Steve C. Jones concluded.
Elias Law Group attorneys Abha Khanna, Makeba Rutahindurwa, Mike Jones, and Jonathan Hawley contributed to this case.
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