A redistricting map passed by narrow margins by the Augusta Commission and Richmond County Board of Education is meeting opposition from some members of the local legislative delegation, which must accept the map and bring it to a vote in the legislature before it is signed by the governor.
State Sen. Max Burns (R-District 23) and state Rep. Mark Newton (R-District 123) both expressed dissatisfaction with the map during the Jan. 6 joint meeting of the commission and delegation.
That map was drawn by the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office in Atlanta without local input. In addition to that map, the Ad Hoc Redistricting Committee had three alternatives prepared by the city’s IT Department to consider.
MORE: Augusta Commission votes on redistricting map
Burns said he reviewed all the committee’s activities, including the principles adopted to guide the process. Those principles included considering the boundaries of neighborhoods and precincts and to preserve communities of interest.
“The worst alternative, in my mind, was the first option, which was the starting point,” said Burns. “It had no input from the community. It provided no opportunity for adjustments. And so regrettably, I’m not in a position to support that.”
“The current map will not pass as uncontested locally,” Newton agreed. “It will not go forward from our delegation; it won’t get onto the floor of the House or Senate. So, having said that, now what we’re presented with is, can we do better? And I think most of us think we can.”
The 2020 census shows Richmond County population grew by 3% to 206,607 residents. That means the ideal, balanced district size is 25,825. However, District 3, represented by Catherine McKnight, grew by more than 21% and now has 31,316 residents.
District 3 includes the Summerville neighborhood, which would be split into three different commission districts under the map approved locally. Representatives of the Summerville Neighborhood Association told both the commission and board of education there will be a lawsuit if the draft map is approved at the state level.
[adrotate banner=”51″]
District 4 Commission Alvin Mason and District 6 Commissioner Ben Hasan, who both served on the ad hoc committee, reminded those attending the meeting that in the 2010 census districts in south Augusta had the population growth and many neighborhoods were split into different districts.
Representative Newton suggested it may be time to re-visit what happened 10 years ago and try to draw a map putting as many neighborhoods as possible back together across the county.
The idea resonated with David Dunagan, chairman of the Summerville Neighborhood Association’s Redistricting Committee.
“I was focused on my neighborhood. But then after studying these maps and looking at examples of Lake Olmstead being in the same district as Federal Paper, golly, let’s get sensible here and get the best map that we can come up with for all of Augusta, all of Augusta all eight districts. Let’s be as fair as possible,” said Dunagan.
Dunagan observed this matter is now in the hands of elected leaders in Atlanta. He said it is time to encourage all residents of Augusta to contact their state senator and representative and tell them they want a map that is as fair as possible to all citizens of Richmond County.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
