Map redraw could cost Black voters in Bibb, legislators warn

Members of Bibb County’s mostly Democratic state legislative delegation are blasting Gov. Brian Kemp’s call to redraw Georgia’s voting districts. The lawmakers describe this week’s special session as a blatant effort by Republicans to maintain majority control and disenfranchise Black voters. 

The Georgia General Assembly convenes Wednesday to reconfigure the maps that determine which congressional and state legislative districts voters live in. 

“It’s going to be a fight,” state Sen. David Lucas, D-Macon, told The Melody. “We’re not going to be nice about it.”

Redistricting typically happens every 10 years, following the census, but the legal landscape recently shifted. In April, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Louisiana v. Callais that plaintiffs suing for violations of the 1965 Voting Rights Act must prove “intentional racial discrimination” on the part of the state. 

The high hurdle set means that challengers can’t just show a map had a discriminatory effect; they must prove the state’s actions were deliberate. 

“When we go to the legislature, I would assume that a district like mine, a district like Congressman Sanford Bishop’s, will be on the chopping block for them to try to increase their Republican percentage,” Lucas said. 

After the April ruling, Republican leadership in other southern states, such as Texas and Tennessee, moved quickly to redraw maps ahead of 2026 elections. However, Kemp has said any changes made to Georgia’s districts would not take effect until 2028.

Bibb County is represented in the state legislature by five House representatives. Four of them are Black Democrats. In the state Senate, it is represented by two Republicans and Lucas. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Bibb County is represented by Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop and Republican Rep. Austin Scott. 

Rep. Dale Washburn, the only Republican representing Bibb County in the state House, said, “I’m happy with the district the way it is, and I’d be fine if there was no change” to other districts representing portions of Bibb County. 

Washburn’s district includes portions of North and East Bibb County as well as Jones, Jasper and parts of Monroe and Putnam counties.  

“I’m not pushing to change anything,” Washburn said. “I like my district the way it is and, of course, if you start changing any other districts, then obviously you could affect the adjoining districts, which would include me.”

Miriam Paris, whose district includes the north side of the county, said she is “definitely concerned about all of Bibb County’s districts.”

“The thing is this: Once you affect one, you’re going to affect them all,” Paris said. “Of course, we’re concerned about severe gerrymandering of districts across the state, not just Bibb. …. I think everybody’s [district] lines are at risk.” 

Paris said Democrats would like for Republicans to “just adhere to what the rules are, and the rules are that we don’t redistrict until after the census has been done. It’s just very unfortunate that these southern states have rushed to make these adjustments all because they kind of seem to think they are getting ready to lose power.” 

In other business, legislators also will have to address a 2024 law that makes the state’s current voting machines illegal to use after July 1. Lawmakers have not approved a replacement for the state’s electronic ballot counting systems, which use a computer-readable QR code to count ballots. 

Critics of the QR code system — which include President Donald Trump — have said the square, scannable codes cannot be read by a human, though voters’ choices also are printed in summary beside the code.

It was unclear what alternatives might be presented during the special session.