A federal judge has denied Georgia's request to dismiss lawsuits claiming its congressional and legislative district maps discriminate against Black voters. Judge Steve Jones ruled that a full trial, scheduled for September, is necessary to evaluate the evidence and witness testimony. He emphasized the significance of voting rights and pledged a comprehensive review of the presented evidence.

The lawsuits contest the configuration of Georgia's 14 congressional districts, 56 state Senate districts, and 180 state House districts. Plaintiffs argue that these maps violate the Voting Rights Act by diminishing the electoral power of Black voters. They seek an additional congressional district where Black voters can elect their preferred candidate, potentially shifting the current 9-5 Republican-Democrat balance.

The progression of these lawsuits follows a recent Supreme Court decision upholding the Voting Rights Act's interpretation, which prohibits district lines that create discriminatory outcomes. This ruling paved the way for the Georgia cases to resume after being temporarily suspended during the Alabama redistricting challenge. Although Judge Jones previously acknowledged potential violations within Georgia's redistricting plans, he permitted the maps' use in the 2022 elections to avoid disruption.

In the state legislative cases, plaintiffs advocate for a map with three additional majority-Black state Senate districts and five additional majority-Black state House districts. These changes, if implemented, are unlikely to affect Republican control of either chamber.

The September trial could lead to redrawing districts before the 2024 elections. A key argument from the state, attributing divisions between Black and white voters to partisanship rather than race, was deemed irrelevant at this stage by Judge Jones. He emphasized the current focus on the effects of these divisions. The judge also rejected plaintiffs' attempts for a pre-trial ruling, citing the need for thorough factual examination and expert credibility assessment.

Several other lawsuits challenging Georgia's new maps have also been filed.