Georgia will have slightly different legislative maps for the 2024 election cycle following a recent special session dedicated to redistricting. But, how will those changes impact the northeast Georgia region?
U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ordered in October 2023 that the state's previous maps needed to be redrawn. Jones specifically claimed the previous maps, which were drawn in 2021, illegally diluted Black voters. State legislators were then tasked with redrawing the maps to create several new majority-Black voting districts. Jones accepted the newly redrawn maps at the end of December.
Several changes were made in the northeast Georgia region, but the state's congressional map experienced the largest adjustment.
Congressional District Map
The biggest change to the congressional map in northeast Georgia related to Districts 6 and 7.
Per the previous map from 2021, District 6 encompassed all of Dawson and Forsyth counties, along with portions of Gwinnett, Fulton, Cobb and Cherokee counties. District 6 was shifted entirely into metro Atlanta under the new maps, with coverage in South Fulton, Cobb, Douglas and Fayette counties.
District 7, which was previously contained to South Gwinnett County and a portion of Northeast Fulton County, also experienced massive changes. District 7 now includes all of Lumpkin, Dawson and Forsyth counties. It also includes portions of Cherokee, Fulton and Hall counties. District 7 picked up Lumpkin and a portion of Hall County from District 9.
U.S. Democratic Representative Lucy McBath, who currently represents District 7, recently announced she will run for her next term in District 6, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Additionally, current 6th District Republican Representative Rich McCormick said he will run in the new 7th district.
Finally, as previously mentioned, Districts 9 and 10 also experienced several changes in the new maps. District 9 gained Jackson County from District 10, while losing Franklin and Hart counties to District 10. The western portion of Hall County is now in the 7th District, having previously been in the 9th district. District 9 is currently represented by Republican Congressman Andrew Clyde, while Republican Congressman Mike Collins represents the 10th district.
The new map is likely to retain Georgia's 9-5 Republican majority for its 14 congressional seats.
Georgia Senate Map
Very few changes were made to the Georgia Senate maps in the northeast Georgia region, with almost every district remaining the same as they have since 2021.
The closest change is in South Gwinnett County. Senate District 55 previously covered the southern corner of Gwinnett County and a portion of DeKalb County. The new Senate map removed the southern tip of Gwinnett County from District 55's coverage. Its coverage in Gwinnett County was also expanded. District 43, which is primarily a Rockdale County district, now includes the southern tip of Gwinnett County.
Georgia House of Representatives Map
The majority of northeast Georgia's House of Representatives districts also remained unchanged per the 2023 maps, but there were several changes in Gwinnett County. The changes primarily impact districts located south of District 103 in Buford and District 99 in Suwanee.
For example, District 105 consists of an area south of Buford and north of Dacula. A portion of District 105 now extends further southwest, just north of Lawrenceville.
District 101, which was previously sandwiched between District 105 and District 107 (west of Lawrenceville), has been completely removed from the Gwinnett County area. District 101 is now located in the northern half of DeKalb County.
District 111 in east Gwinnett County gained a small area just east of Lawrenceville under the new map.
Several other changes were made to the county.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2024/1/1221541/how-northeast-georgias-legislative-districts-changed-following-2023-redistricting