The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 3, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
A Georgia racial gerrymandering case was finalized December 28th, approving a new map which included another majority-minority Congressional district. The map puts Georgia in compliance with the Voting Rights Act Section 2. But the Georgia legislature further gerrymandered other districts, including the district of a current Black congresswoman.
In early December, a federal district court ruled that Georgia must draw a second Congressional district where Black Georgians could elect the candidate of their choice, as outlined in the Voting Rights Act Section 2, and affirmed in 2023 by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Milligan decision.
After the new map was submitted December 8th, Democracy advocates complained that while it added the second majority-minority district, the legislature further gerrymandered other districts, including “cracking” the district of Black Congresswoman Lucy McBath, elected by a coalition of Black, Latino and other minorities.
December 28th, Judge Steve Jones ruled that while the Georgia legislature’s map DID meet his order, the 2019 U.S. Supreme Court “Rucho” case didn’t allow him to rule on any PARTISAN gerrymandering. He also noted that the case was brought to protect Black voters, not a coalition of minority voters.
A decision in a U.S. Supreme Court case from South Carolina later this year may determine whether legislatures can gerrymander minority areas, say it’s PARTISAN gerrymandering, and get away with it.
We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Democracy Docket – Georgia Legislature Releases New, Still Gerrymandered Maps
Georgia Recorder – Federal judge approves Georgia’s new congressional and legislative election maps
WABE – Judge upholds Georgia’s newly-revised political maps
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Div. – Order – PENDERGRASS, et al. v. RAFFENSPERGER
Fordham University Law School – ARE TWO MINORITIES EQUAL TO ONE?: MINORITY COALITION GROUPS AND SECTION 2 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
NPR- Georgia redistricting tests if the Voting Rights Act protects ‘coalition districts’
Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause Georgia, Fair Districts Georgia, League of Women Voters GA
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#Democracy #DemocracyNews #EndGerrymandering #VotingRightsAct #GeorgiaPolitics