Alan Powell

Every 10 years, your General Assembly meets in a special called session to abide by the Constitutional requirement to reapportion voting districts due to increased or decreased population as determined by the most recent census and to ensure the principle of “one person, one vote” rule. As an addition, this process must strictly adhere to the Federal 1965 Voting Rights Act, which enforces the non-dilution of minority voters.

As your veteran of three full and two special sessions to resolve this mandated process, which has been contentious, onerous and an outright political knife fight in past years, I observed this session’s work to be well planned with a level of civility never seen in past years. This being said, this process was accomplished in 10 working days, whereas past reapportionment sessions took months! 

As a result, your current House District 29 will be renumbered as District 32 and will include all of Hart and Franklin Counties and the northern part of Madison County. As a footnote, this district number has changed since 1990 from the 13th to the 23rd to the 29th, and now the 32nd. I guess this is just a sign of changing politics since I have also shared representation with seven Senators representing your counties.

House District 32 will be divided among three Senate districts, with Franklin County remaining the 50th District, which is now awaiting a special election to replace Sen. Jim Butterworth following his appointment as Adjutant General of the Georgia National Guard, Hart County moving to the 24th District, currently represented by Sen. Bill Jackson, and Madison County staying in the 47th District, currently represented by Sen. Frank Ginn.

Lawmakers also voted to approve new boundaries for Georgia’s congressional districts. The state has gained one U.S. House of Representatives seat for a total of 14 beginning next year as a result of Georgia’s population growth between 2000 and 2010.

Franklin, Hart, Madison and Elbert counties will all be in the newly configured 9th Congressional District, which some may remember looks a lot like the old 9th Northeast/Mountain district. This district will not have an incumbent Congressman in the 2012 election, since current Congressmen Broun’s and Graves’ districts are new the 10th and 14th, respectively.

The three maps, which subsequently been signed by Gov. Nathan Deal, still must undergo a required review by the U.S. Justice Department or, possibly, the court system to determine compliance with the Voting Rights Act. Upon final approval, the new districts will take effect in the 2012 election cycle.

Again, the redistricting at the federal, state and local levels is required every 10 years following a U.S. Census count to ensure that citizens have equal representation in the legislative branch of government. To review the new legislative and congressional district maps and get more information on reapportionment, visit the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office.