DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — Some voters are already looking ahead to the new congressional and legislative districts that could emerge from Georgia lawmakers next month.
This was after a federal judge ordered districts to be redrawn because the existing ones violated the Federal Voting Rights Act.
Douglas County is among those in metro Atlanta whose population growth since 2010 has also changed its demographics and the county’s politics.
"Last I checked, we were at 52 percent Black, 55 percent female which I think is so awesome," said Dominic Hurley, was out looking for votes Friday for his Douglasville city council race.
Hurley is among the residents here who have seen a big demographic shift in his hometown.
For decades, Douglas County’s population was majority white. Census data shows that changed sharply in 2020 – and voters here responded by electing Black leaders to run the county commission and the sheriff’s office.
United States Rep. Drew Ferguson, a white Republican, still represents a portion of Douglas County in Congress. But new district lines – expected to be drawn by lawmakers later this year – could shift those voters into a new Black majority district.
"The better we can do to get that door open for those voices to be heard, those windows, those doors -- kick 'em open!" said Crystal Hurley, Dominic Hurley's wife and campaign manager.
But Carol Newborn said balancing legislative districts based on race is an outdated concept.
"I don’t think they should do anything based on race like that. Just draw the maps," Newborn said "All this stuff about race, I think I’ve had enough of it."
Douglas County’s Republican party chairman agreed.
"I don’t think there's much of a need (to change districts)," said Will Jones, who was wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat. "I don’t think there's redistricting that needs to take place because I think we’ve had enough of race-based initiatives."
The federal judge who issued the order for new districts did not specify where a new non-white majority congressional district should go. Douglas County is among many options likely to be considered by the Republican lawmakers controlling the process in November.