Democrats call newly approved GOP sponsored legislative maps unfair

ATLANTA — The Georgia House approved the new GOP sponsored legislative district maps Wednesday. The Senate approved its version Tuesday.

Now, Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston is defending the new maps and reminding people of Georgia’s history.

Ralston very adamant pointing out that the last Democratic drawn map was declared unconstitutional 20-years ago, and the last Republican map cleared the Obama Justice Department.

But that was then, this is now, and the Democrats believe these new maps are unfair.

Ralston unveiled the legislative district map on Wednesday that GOP lawmakers worked on for months and after hearing public input from around the state.

He insists the process was a fair one that heard all voices.

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“I am proud of the track record our Republican majority has established over the last decade. I am proud of the work that has gone into this map that we will debate today,” Ralston said.

As the majority party, Georgia Republicans got to redraw the maps just as Democrats did for decades before the GOP takeover in the early 2000s.

After two hours of debate, the vote went along party lines.

“in the passage of 1X, the ayes are 99. The nays are 79. This bill having received the requisite constitutional majority is here by passed,” Ralston said.

DeKalb County state Sen. Emmanuel Jones doesn’t like either the senate or the house maps.

“I think it violates the Voting Rights Act,” Jones said.

The Senate approved its version Monday and tinkered with a Henry County district in way he didn’t like.

Jones believes whatever comes out of the General Assembly will come under immediate court scrutiny.

“Absolutely. I encourage my colleagues that if the map isn’t changed, then the only recourse is we would have to ask the court to intervene,” Jones said.

Lawmakers are expected to take up the congressional maps next week.

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