DawsonTimes.com

ATLANTA- The House and Senate Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee Chairmen, Rep. Roger Lane (R-Darien) and Senator Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg), released their proposed plan for the state’s Congressional Districts today. The proposed plan is available on the Joint Reapportionment Office Website at http://www.legis.ga.gov, Joint Offices, Reapportionment; or by clicking this link, or by following this web address: http://www.legis.ga.gov/Joint/reapportionment/en-US/default.aspx

The plan:

· Complies with the US Constitution’s requirement of “one person, one vote”;

· Complies with the Voting Rights Act of 1965;

· Respects the boundaries of counties and precincts;

· Consists of compact districts; and

· Respects communities of interest;

“Every step taken during this historic process has shown our dedication to openness and fairness,” said Sen. Mitch Seabaugh, Chairman of the Senate Redistricting and Reapportionment Committee. “Citizens across our state met us at hearings to speak about the creation of a Congressional plan that properly represents them. This map represents their voices. I applaud Chairman Lane for his dedicated leadership in the House. We worked together to construct a Congressional plan that is fair and legal, and one that every Georgian can be proud of.”

“The proposed Congressional map released today is fair, sensible and the product of a great amount of input from Georgians throughout the state,” said Rep. Roger Lane, Chairman of the House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee. “Like the House redistricting plan this body passed last week, Republicans are continuing to fulfill their promise to draw maps that fairly represent the people of this state.”

The map fully complies with the principles adopted by the House and Senate committees during the summer. The deviation from the ideal district size is plus or minus one person as required by federal law. The map fully complies with the Voting Rights Act with four districts of more than 50% African-American population.

The proposed plan splits 15 counties compared to the 20 counties split under the state’s current congressional map and the 34 counties split under the 2001 plan. Additionally, the plan proposed today splits fewer than 30 precincts. The districts are also more compact than the current congressional map and maintain an average of 67.5% of the existing district cores.

Click here to learn more about the Congressional Redistricting Plan's impact on Forsyth County.