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Prof. Justin Levitt's Doug Spencer's Guide to Drawing the Electoral Lines

State Summary

Georgia’s congressional and state legislative lines are drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto.

During the 2020 cycle, Georgia’s legislature sent the congressional plan (SB 2EX) to the Governor on Nov. 30, 2021. The Governor signed the bill on Dec. 30, 2021. Lawsuits filed on Dec. 30, 2021 and Jan. 7, 2022 challenging the congressional plan are still pending. The Georgia’s legislature sent a new state house plan (HB 1EX) to the Governor on Nov. 29, 2021 and a new state senate plan (SB 1EX) on Nov. 30, 2021. The Governor signed both plans on Dec. 30, 2021. Lawsuits filed on Dec. 30, 2021 and Jan. 11, 2022 challenging the new state legislative plans are still pending.

In the 2010 cycle, Georgia’s legislature passed a congressional plan (HB 20EX) on Aug. 31, 2011.  The legislature passed a state House plan (HB 1EX) and state Senate plan (SB 1EX) on Aug. 23, 2011.  On Feb. 23, 2012, the state legislature passed and the Governor signed an adjusted state House plan (HB 829).  On Mar. 21, 2012, the state legislature passed an adjusted state Senate plan (SB 430), which was and precleared on June 12, 2012.  (Because preclearance was granted after the qualifying period for candidates, the SB 1EX lines were used for 2012 Senate elections, and the SB 430 lines were used for 2014 Senate elections.)

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Seats: (projected)

Institution:

Drawn by:

Plan Status:

Party Control:
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The Latest Updates

Dec 28, 2023
A federal judge accepted new congressional and state legislative maps drawn by the state legislature after the court had earlier struck the maps down.
Oct 26, 2023
A federal court struck down Georgia's congressional and state legislative maps as a violation of the Voting Rights Act. State must draw new maps by Dec. 8.
Oct 31, 2022
Florida Times-Union: "Gerrymandered Jacksonville City Council maps will be redrawn this week"
Feb 28, 2022
A district court upheld Georgia's congressional and state legislative maps and will allow them to be used in upcoming election despite acknowledging portions of the plans may violate federal law.
Jan 28, 2022
A federal court denied the state of Georgia's motion to dismiss lawsuits challenging the state's congressional and state legislative redistricting plans.
Jan 7, 2022
A fourth lawsuit has been filed challenging the Georgia's redistricting plans. The plaintiffs claim 3 districts (GA 6, GA 13 and GA 14) violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Dec 30, 2021
Governor Kemp signed the new congressional plan (SB 2EX ) and state legislative plans (SB 1EX and HB 1EX)  for the state of Georgia.
Dec 6, 2021
Several critics of Georgia's new congressional and state legislative maps have signaled they will file lawsuits as soon as Gov. Kemp signs the maps into law, which he must do by Jan. 1.
Nov 22, 2021
The Georgia House passed the congressional redistricting bill (SB 2EX). The bill now goes to the governor for signature.
Nov 19, 2021
The Georgia Senate passed a congressional redistricting plan bill (SB 2EX). The plan still needs to pass the Georgia House and then be signed by the governor to become final.
Nov 18, 2021
Nov 15, 2021
The Georgia House passed the state senate redistricting plan (SB 1EX) ending the state-level redistricting for the state. The plan now goes to the governor for signature.
Nov 12, 2021
The Georgia Senate passed the house legislative plan (HB 1EX). The plan now goes to the governor for signature.
Nov 10, 2021
The Georgia House of Representatives passed state house redistricting plan (HB 1EX). The redistricting plan will now go to the Georgia Senate for a vote.
Nov 9, 2021
The Georgia Senate voted to approve a new state senate redistricting plan (SB 1EX). The redistricting plan will now go to the Georgia House for a vote.
Nov 5, 2021
The Georgia Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee approved a new state senate legislative map. The plan will now go to the Senate floor for a vote.
Nov 3, 2021
The Georgia legislature begins special session to finalizing redistricting plans on Nov. 3rd. Georgia Republicans released maps in advance of the session.
Oct 21, 2021
Georgia Democrats released a proposed congressional map. The map projects a 7-7 party split of the states 14 congressional districts.
Sep 27, 2021
Republicans in the Georgia state Senate published a proposal for the state's new congressional districts.
Sep 23, 2021
Georgia's Governor called for a special session of the state legislature in order to draw new state legislature and congressional maps. The session will commence on Nov. 3, 2021.
Jul 23, 2021
House and Senate Reapportionment Committees announce virtual only town hall meeting information. Georgia residents can submit written comments prior to the meeting.
Jul 12, 2021
House and Senate Reapportionment Committees announce details for upcoming public meetings. Georgia residents may submit written comment prior to the meetings.
Jun 16, 2021
Georgia legislature announces town hall meeting schedule on the redistricting process.
Apr 26, 2021
Georgia will not gain a congressional seat following the 2020 census and will maintain fourteen congressional seats.

Institution

Georgia’s congressional and state legislative lines are drawn by the legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto.

The members of the state House committee with responsibility for redistricting are listed here; the members of the state Senate committee are listed here.

Timing

Georgia state law does not impose a particular deadline for drawing congressional or state legislative lines.

Candidates must file for congressional and state legislative primary elections by Mar. 11, 2022. [Ga. Code Ann. §§ 21-2-132(d)(2), 21-2-153(c)(1)(A)]  The legislative session began on Jan. 11, 2021, and is currently scheduled to end on Apr. 2, 2021.

Georgia law ties the drawing of state legislative lines to the Census, and might therefore be construed to prohibit redrawing lines mid-decade, although a federal court has cast doubt upon such a construction. There is no similar provision pertaining to congressional lines. [Ga. Const. art. III, § II, ¶ 2Kidd v. Cox, No. 1:06-CV-0997, 2006 WL 1341302 (N.D. Ga. May 16, 2006)]

Public input

The legislative redistricting committees have not yet announced any specific plans or guidelines for public input.

Past minutes of House meetings are archived here; Senate meetings are archived here.

Criteria

Like all states, Georgia must comply with constitutional equal population requirements. [Larios v. Cox, 300 F.Supp.2d 1320 (N.D. Ga. 2004)]

Georgia must also, like all states, abide by the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rules on race.

Beyond those requirements, the Georgia state constitution demands only that state legislative districts be contiguous. [Ga. Const. art. III, § II, ¶ 2]

2020 cycle

Georgia’s legislature sent a congressional plan (SB 2EX) to the Governor on Nov. 30, 2021. The Governor signed the plan on Dec. 30, 2021.

Multiple lawsuits were filed challenging the congressional plan beginning on Dec. 30, 2021.

Georgia’s legislature submitted a state house plan (HB 1EX) to the Governor on Nov. 29, 2021 and a state senate plan (SB 1EX) on Nov. 30, 2021. The Governor signed both plans on Dec. 30, 2021.

Multiple lawsuits were filed challenging the state legislative plan beginning on Dec. 30, 2021.

2010 cycle

Georgia’s legislature passed a congressional plan (HB 20EX) on Aug. 31, 2011, which was signed on Sept. 6, 2011, and precleared on Dec. 23, 2011.

Georgia’s legislature passed a state House plan (HB 1EX) and state Senate plan (SB 1EX) on Aug. 23, 2011; both were signed on Aug. 24, 2011, and and precleared on Dec. 23, 2011.

On Feb. 23, 2012, the state legislature passed and the Governor signed an adjusted state House plan (HB 829), which was precleared on May 11, 2012.  On Mar. 21, 2012, the state legislature passed an adjusted state Senate plan (SB 430), which was signed on Apr. 13, 2012 and precleared on June 12, 2012.  Because preclearance was granted after the qualifying period for candidates, the SB 1EX lines were used for 2012 Senate elections, and the SB 430 lines were used for 2014 Senate elections.

A challenge to the congressional plan was voluntarily dismissed.

2000 cycle

Georgia’s legislature passed state House (HB 14EX2), state Senate (SB 1EX1), and congressional (SB 1EX2) plans, and sought preclearance in federal court. The state House and congressional plans were precleared on Apr. 5, 2002, but the court refused to preclear the state Senate plan; the legislature passed a new state Senate plan (HB 1667) on Apr. 11, 2002, which was precleared on June 3, 2002. These precleared plans were used for the 2002 elections. (The initial preclearance objection was later vacated by the Supreme Court, in Georgia v. Ashcroft, 539 U.S. 461 (2003).)

Both the legislative plans and the congressional plan were also challenged in federal court. The congressional plan was upheld, but the state legislative plans were struck down, on equal population grounds. When the state legislature failed to pass a new state legislative plan, the federal court produced its own, valid for the 2004 elections. In 2006, the state legislature adjusted several state Senate districts (SB 386); it is not clear whether these adjustments were submitted for preclearance. The adjusted state Senate plan was challenged in federal court, and upheld. [Kidd v. Cox, No. 1:06-CV-0997, 2006 WL 1341302 (N.D. Ga. May 16, 2006); Larios v. Cox, 314 F.Supp.2d 1357 (N.D. Ga. 2004); Larios v. Cox, 300 F.Supp.2d 1320 (N.D. Ga. 2004), aff’d 542 U.S. 947 (2004)]

Redistricting Cases in Georgia

Search all Georgia Cases >

Georgia | State Upper | State Lower
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. v. Raffensperger
PENDING - Federal court challenge to state legislative districts as violation of the VRA
Last Updated Jun 28, 2024
Case No. 1:21-cv-05337 (N.D. Ga.), Nos. 23-13914, 24-10230 (11th Cir.)
Cycle 2020
Georgia | State Upper | State Lower
Grant v. Raffensperger
PENDING - Federal court challenge to state legislative districts as violation of the VRA.
Last Updated Jun 28, 2024
Case No. 1:22-cv-00122 (N.D. Ga.), Nos. 23-13921, 24-10241 (11th Cir.)
Cycle 2020
Georgia | Congress
Pendergrass v. Raffensperger
PENDING - Federal court challenge to congressional maps: alleged violation of the VRA
Last Updated Jun 28, 2024
Case No. 1:21-cv-05339 (N.D. Ga.), Nos. 23-13916, 24-10231 (11th Cir.)
Cycle 2020