2021-08-28: Writing LTE's for conclusion of legislative hearings

Part of FDGA messaging for “Show Your Work”. These letters will be submitted on 8/28/21

attachments on this page by label:

Context:

“Hundreds of Georgia citizens gave testimony at the eleven public town halls and consistently they said...”

select letter #1 or #2 below and close with the “ask” specified below.

Letter #1

Questioned the necessity of splitting 2/3’s of Georgia’s small cities into multiple districts when they could easily fit into a single district. Feel their community’s electoral influence has been watered down to the point of limited or no representation.

Examples to choose from:

1. LaGrange (Troup, middle GA) - before 2010 redrawing of district lines, had one Senate district.  After redistricting, was split into 2 Senate districts and 3 House districts

2. Athens (Clarke) - before 2010 had one Congressional district.  After redistricting was divided into 2 Congressional districts.  The smallest county in GA has 2 Congressional districts, 2 state senate districts and 3 state house districts.

3. Gwinnett - has multiple cities that have been split (Duluth, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Snellville, Sugar Hill, Suwanee)

4. Forest Park (Clayton) - Before 2010, 1 Senate district…after 2

5. Woodstock (Cherokee) - Before 2010, 1 Senate district…after 3

6. Tifton (Tift, South GA) - Before 2010, 1 House district…after 3

7. Waycross (Ware, South GA) - Before 2010, 2 House districts…after 4

There are more examples available at FDGA website in the Map Room.

Letter #2 

Want maps drawn based upon community input given at the public town hall hearings.

• Efforts must be made to draw competitive districts

• Not good for democracy when districts are gerrymandered so that only one party has any hope of winning an election

• Elections in GA are notoriously uncompetitive because of the high number of uncontested races because potential candidates now that they can’t win in a gerrymandered district

• One party holding a majority at almost every level of government including local is not a selection of voters’ preferences but a manipulated outcome

Ask

Ask reader to contact __________(a committee member(s) and/or their legislator and ask:

• What’s the timeline? Redistricting committees to publicly release a timeline NOW for the redistricting process through the special session that shows what their process will be and

• When will we see the maps? Such timeline include when we can expect to see maps for review  in enough time to have meaningful review prior to their adoption.

References attached below:

CHARGE media release kit, provides some good statements for why fair districts matter.