[Source: U.S. Census Bureau]
Georgia remains among the fastest growing states in the nation, but likely will not be receiving an additional congressional seat in 2020, per numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau released Wednesday.
With the total number of House seats nationwide capped at 435, every ten years following the census the number of congressmen for each state are adjusted depending on population growth/loss. Despite adding 106,420 residents from 2017 to 2018, a growth of around one percent, Georgia is not expected to gain any seats following the census. Florida however is looking to add two, while North Carolina, just behind Georgia in terms of population, will add one to bring them even with the Peach State at 14. Meanwhile Alabama, growing much more slowly, is slated to actually lose one of its seats, bringing it down to six in total.
While Georgia will miss out on the chaos that comes from adding or removing an entire congressional district, (or two) the redistricting process promises to be, as always one of the biggest political issues of the decade. Following the results of the 2020 census, Governor Brian Kemp will preside over the drawing of new districts for both Congress and the state Legislature, a powerful position as voting margins throughout the state grow closer and closer.
Favored legislators could see their districts altered to become more friendly to their party, while others could be thrown into competitive races or even unwinnable ones. As the state turns more and more purple, the GOP will have to be careful to draw the lines in ways that benefit its candidates while being careful not to so in such a way that results in lawsuits or even court-mandated redistricting. In the early 2000’s Georgia Democrats saw their maps thrown out by federal judges, helping lead to the Republican takeover of the state government starting in 2004.
Kemp, who has already faced heat from Democrats over alleged voter suppression during his tenure as Secretary of State, will have to tiptoe the line between helping his party and remaining fair in his rulings, as the left will no doubt be ready to challenge the redistricting in court should it be deemed unbalanced.
