Redistricting & Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering in less than two minutes:

The Georgia Constitution mandates that our legislature redistrict every 10 years following the national Census. It also allows for annual redistricting meaning Georgia lawmakers can change district lines during any legislative session. 

Georgia lawmakers of both political parties have used these opportunities to engage in creative mapmaking to protect incumbents or weaken political opponents.

In 2015, GOP legislators changed two districts to protect two Republican representatives who had barely won re-election the year before. Attempts to do the same in other districts in 2017 and 2019 were ultimately shelved thanks to intense public scrutiny.

The rise of sophisticated mapping technology has made gerrymandering easier than ever. In 2016, Georgia’s legislative races were the least competitive in the nation with 81% of legislative seats going uncontested because of partisan gerrymandering.

Non-competitive, “safe” districts not only rob voters of their Constitutional right to elect their own representatives, but they also cause complacency among lawmakers. Lawmakers have no incentive to work toward bipartisan solutions and representatives with extreme views have an easier time getting elected. Lack of bipartisan collaboration ultimately leads to inefficient and ineffective government.

Gerrymandered districts are also a powerful tool to reduce the power of minority communities. While racial gerrymandering is illegal, minority communities are often “packed” into minority-majority districts, but don’t always receive the benefit of minority leadership when leaders of color are targeted and discouraged from running. Communities of color can also be “cracked,” or broken up into multiple districts, to diffuse their voting power.

LEGAL

While racial gerrymandering is against the law, partisan gerrymandering is legal and rampant in many US states, including Georgia.

In June 2019, the US Supreme Court ruled that federal courts have no power over partisan gerrymandering. While the opinion was that “Excessive partisanship in districting leads to results that reasonably seem unjust”, stil they concluded “partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts.” *

While the issue will surely return to the federal courts in the future, only state courts can now be involved in fights against gerrymandering.

Rucho v. Common Cause, No. 18-422, and Lamone v. Benisek, No. 18-726

LEGISLATIVE

One way to stop partisan gerrymandering is by electing legislators to the Georgia General Assembly who have committed to legislative reform. Citizens should ask if candidates to the state house and the state senate will commit to do so, and hold them accountable for reform once elected.

IN GEORGIA

Georgia can strengthen its current redistricting process with specific legislation passed in the Georgia General Assembly. The current redistricting process gives lawmakers broad leeway in drawing district lines. Georgia needs to pass an amendment to the Georgia constitution to create an independent citizens’ redistricting commission that takes redistricting away from a partisan legislature and gives it to an independent commission. At least twenty states have done so, resulting in more competitive elections. The legislation should also include redistricting guidelines that require a fair, transparent, nonpartisan, and accountable process.