Gop-drawn Gwinnett Commission map heads to Kemp’s desk

A new Gwinnett County Commission map, drawn by Republicans over the objections of most of Gwinnett’s legislative delegation, is on its way to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for a signature after passing the state Senate on Thursday morning.

Senators voted to reject a map that had unanimous approval of the all-democratic County Commission and support from the Democratic legislators who make up a majority of the Gwinnett delegation. They then voted to approve a map drawn by House Rep. Bonnie Rich, R-suwanee, which a week ago passed the state House.

Both Senate votes were 33-22. The approved map drastically redraws the four geographic commission districts to create a northern district that would likely vote Republican, members of both parties have said. The Gwinnett commission, which includes a chairperson elected countywide, has in the past four years flipped from five white Republicans to five Democratic members of color.

In approving Gwinnett’s maps, the General Assembly has diverted from its normal process of deferring to the local legislative delegation, to the ire of Democrats.

“Today was a discouraging display of the ways in which the minority party is constantly repeatedly having their will subverted even in bodies and delegations where they represent the majority of voters,” said Sen. Michelle Au, D-johns Creek, whose district includes Duluth and parts of western Gwinnett.

Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-grayson, said on the floor that legislators and commissioners held several town halls and incorporated public input into their proposed map. Residents at the town halls asked for the lines not to split cities or voting precincts. The Democrats’ map did not split any voting precincts and kept cities together, with one exception where Buford and Sugar Hill meet.

“It is the map that the people want,” Merritt said Thursday on the Senate floor in a failed attempt to substitute it for the Republican

map.

The approved map splits Suwanee in two and places Lawrenceville in three different districts.

The new northern district is currently represented by Marlene Fosque, who four years ago became the first Black person elected to the Gwinnett County Commission. The seat is on the ballot this year.

Fosque was not available Thursday for comment, a county spokesperson said.

The district would be 48% white, according to a county analysis, but the Southern Poverty Law Center in a Thursday news release said the voting-age population would be majority white. Gwinnett County is 35% white.

“State legislators have now passed a map for the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners that denies communities of color their fair share of districts,” said Poy Winichakul, staff attorney for voting rights, in the release.

“We encourage all advocates for democracy to stand with us and make their voices heard by opposing these maps that dilute the political power of Georgians based on their race,” Winichakul said.

A similar battle is occurring in Cobb County, where House Republicans on Wednesday approved commission maps that would strengthen conservative seats and potentially draw a Black Democrat out of her seat.

County commission and school board maps are being redrawn by law based on the latest census results. The maps will remain in effect until 2030.

AJC 2021 Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-grayson, said on the state Senate floor that legislators and commissioners held several town halls and incorporated public input into their proposed map.