For the first time in decades, Black Georgia voters won’t be able to rely on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to protect them from redistricting efforts to dilute their political power. On June 17, Republicans could start redrawing voting maps at a special session called by Gov. Brian Kemp. In April, the U.S. […]
redistricting
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
Black Voting Power Faces New Threat in Georgia Redistricting Efforts
A Republican effort to effectively weaken Black voting power in Georgia has Democratic state lawmakers worried about the future of Black representation in the General Assembly. Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday made Georgia the latest Republican-led state to announce it will redraw its political maps in response to the April 29 U.S. Supreme Court ruling […]
Posted inAsk Capital B, Capital B Atlanta, Politics & Policy
Local Elections Come With High Stakes for Atlanta’s Black Community
Rashad Brown knows the race for the White House isn’t the only important election happening in Georgia right now. The 32-year-old behavioral health counselor recently asked, through our new Ask Capital B community help desk, why local elections are important since they don’t typically garner as much attention as presidential races despite playing a “vital […]
Posted inState Politics, Voting
Black Dems Cry Foul Over Redrawn GOP Electoral Maps
Georgia Democrats expect a federal judge to reject three new electoral maps designed by their Republican colleagues in a ruling that will determine whether Black voting power in the state is properly increased or inappropriately undermined by the plans. In party-line votes, both Georgia General Assembly chambers approved the state House and state Senate redistricting […]
Posted inState Politics
Why Black Senators Are Pushing Back on New Proposed GOP Map
Democratic Georgia lawmakers and voting rights advocates pushed back Wednesday on a new state Senate district map that they say dilutes the electoral power of Black voters and violates a federal judge’s order in the process. “What they’re doing is really criminal,” state Sen. Donzella James, a Democrat from Atlanta, said to Capital B Atlanta […]
Posted inVoting
Georgia’s Electoral Map Unfairly Dilutes Black Voting Power, Judge Rules
A federal judge on Thursday ordered members of the Georgia General Assembly to redraw the state’s electoral maps ahead of the 2024 election after determining the current maps unfairly dilute the political power of Black voters. The landmark ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones is expected to increase the number of majority-Black districts […]
Posted inCity Politics
Atlanta Wants Your Feedback on Its Neighborhood Planning Units
The city of Atlanta wants to talk to residents about changes to the Neighborhood Planning Unit system. When they launched 50 years ago, Atlanta’s NPUs were designed to inform residents on city policies affecting their communities, while amplifying their voices on local issues. In recent years, the system has received criticism for its lack of […]
Posted inCity Politics
Live in Atlanta? Your District May Be Changing
In an effort to inform the community about proposed redistricting plans, the city of Atlanta is hosting informational sessions to bring residents up to speed. According to the current city ordinance, Atlanta’s 12 council districts must shift every 10 years based on information provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, to ensure that each district has […]