Case Background

Four African-American Georgia voters allege that the state’s 2011 congressional plan violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The suit argues that instead of creating an additional majority-minority district in response to the significant minority population growth between 2000-2010, the legislature cracked “politically cohesive and geographically compact” African-American communities in and around the Twelfth Congressional District to minimize their political influence. In doing so, the map, the plaintiffs allege, dilutes African-American voting strength and has the effect of denying African Americans the equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the plan violates Section 2 of the VRA, enjoin the state from using the map for future elections, and order the state to adopt a new plan that complies with Section 2 of the VRA, including creation of a district in southeastern Georgia where African Americans have the opportunity to elect preferred candidates.

Documents

District Court

• Complaint (June 13, 2018)
• Motion to Dismiss (July 5, 2018)
• First Amended Complaint (July 13, 2018)
• Defendant's Answer to Plaintiff's First Amendment Complaint (August 3, 2018)
• Order Denying as Moot Motion to Dismiss (August 9, 2018)