Why Georgia judicial some candidates say voting rights are 'threatened'

Candidates split on Supreme Court voting ruling

Georgia Supreme Court candidates and state leaders are divided along party lines following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Louisiana's redistricting.  

ATLANTA - Candidates for the Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals spoke Thursday to address a recent federal ruling regarding the 1965 Voting Rights Act and its impact on the state's voters. 

State judicial candidates raise concerns

What we know:

Candidates for the upcoming Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals races held a news conference Thursday. Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan, who are running for seats on the state's high court, joined Will Wooten, a candidate for the Georgia Court of Appeals. 

The group addressed a Wednesday ruling where the U.S. Supreme Court decided 6-3 that Louisiana's second majority-Black congressional district relied too heavily on race. Rankin stated that Georgians are concerned about their rights being protected following the rollback of federal protections. 

Jordan said the decision undid 50 years of protections for minority voters in the country. Wooten emphasized that the state appellate courts will now be responsible for deciding important state constitutional questions and individual rights. 

What we don't know:

Specific details regarding how this ruling will immediately change Georgia's current voting procedures have not yet been released. While Jordan noted that "probably nothing is going to happen" in the short term, the full legal impact on future elections remains unclear. 

Political leaders react to ruling

The other side:

Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones released a statement commending the high court for its decision in the Louisiana case. Jones said no state should be directed to draw maps based on race in a society built on equal protection of law. 

The lieutenant governor said he fully supports redrawing the state's legislative maps to comply with the ruling. He noted that Georgia had been ordered to use race-based maps in its last round of redistricting. 

What's next:

Voters will head to the polls for the upcoming primary to decide these judicial races. The winning candidates will be tasked with interpreting the state constitution in light of these shifting federal guardrails.