ATLANTA – As local redistricting gets into full swing during the 2022 Georgia legislative session, communities across the state, particularly communities of color, are at risk of having their voices diluted.
The decennial redrawing of state and congressional maps – known as redistricting – now shifts to an often-overlooked, local focus.
Local districts at increased risk for gerrymandering are those in counties with changes in total population, high proportions of communities of color or an increase in nonwhite residents. Local redistricting sets for the next 10 years the boundaries of everything from school districts to county commissions to voter precincts and more.
“Fair Count will continue working with communities across the state, including through community mapping and local organizing, so everyone’s voice can be heard,” said Fair Count CEO Rebecca DeHart. “The outcome of this process affects where your kids go to school, who you elect into office and what resources are in your community. It’s something that needs everyone’s involvement to ensure fair representation and equity in critical local decisions.”
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About Fair Count
Founded in 2019 and anchored in Georgia, Fair Count works to build long-term power in communities that have been historically undercounted in the decennial census, underrepresented at the polls, and whose communities are often torn apart in redistricting. FairCount.org
