Federal court orders new review of Georgia voting maps
'I secured my vote' stickers are seen arrayed on a table on election day at a polling place on November 5, 2024, in College Park, Georgia. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage / AFP) (Photo by ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA - Georgia's yearslong fight over its political boundaries is heading back to federal court after an appeals court ordered a new review of the state's 2021 congressional and legislative maps, according to the Georgia Recorder.
A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a 2023 ruling that found the maps illegally weakened Black voting power and sent the cases back to the lower court for reconsideration.
The appeals court said the review is necessary because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision earlier this year that significantly changed the legal framework governing challenges under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Georgia's redistricting fight
The backstory:
The legal battle began after Republican-controlled state lawmakers approved new congressional and General Assembly districts in 2021.
Residents and advocacy groups challenged the maps, arguing they illegally diluted the voting strength of Black Georgians.
In October 2023, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ruled the maps violated the Voting Rights Act. He ordered lawmakers to redraw them, including creating an additional majority-Black congressional district in west metro Atlanta, along with additional state House and Senate districts.
Lawmakers subsequently approved new maps, which Jones allowed to take effect. The state appealed his original decision.
Supreme Court decision changes legal landscape
While Georgia's appeal was pending, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Louisiana v. Callais.
That decision changed the standard courts must apply when considering certain redistricting challenges involving race, making it more difficult for plaintiffs to successfully challenge political maps. The 11th Circuit said that significant change in law required Jones to reconsider the Georgia cases under the new framework.
The appeals court did not determine whether Georgia's 2021 maps are legal under that new standard. Instead, it directed the lower court to make that determination.
No change for 2026 elections
What's next:
The latest decision will not affect the districts being used in Georgia's November 2026 elections. Voters are currently using the maps adopted in 2023 following Jones' original ruling.
The renewed court fight, however, could ultimately affect the districts used in future elections, including 2028.
It is unclear how quickly the lower court will reconsider the cases. The process could take months or longer, particularly if the judge orders additional arguments or hearings.
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