Georgia must redraw maps to give Black voters fair shot, federal judge rules

Decision regarding congressional and state legislative maps could result in an additional Democratic seat in Congress

Georgia Republicans must redraw congressional and state legislative maps to give Black voters in the state a fair shot at electing the candidate of their choice, a federal judge ruled on Thursday in a decision that could result in an additional Democratic seat in Congress.

When Georgia Republicans drew the state's 14 congressional districts last year, they placed the lines in such a way that they weakened the influence of Black voters in the west metro-Atlanta area, violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Judge Steve Jones ruled on Thursday.