A state court ruled Monday that the Democratic majority on the Cobb County Board of Commissioners does not have the authority to amend the gerrymandered map the GOP-dominated legislature passed last cycle. A spokesperson for the county quickly announced that it would appeal the decision.
Democrats in 2020 ended the GOP's 36-year majority on the five-member body that runs this populous suburban Atlanta community, but Republicans sought to exact revenge soon after. The legislature approved a map that moved Democratic Commissioner Jerica Richardson's home out of her constituency, which some legal experts have argued could force her out of office even before her term is up due to the state's residency requirements.
The commission responded by approving its own set of boundaries that would keep Richardson where she is, but the court said the board doesn't have the power to pass an amended map. The county, though, says that Richardson will be able to keep serving as its appeal works its way through the courts.
Richardson launched a bid for the U.S. House in September when it looked like the Atlanta area might gain a new Democratic seat, but she hasn't said what she'll do now that a federal judge has approved a new map designed to keep the GOP's 9-5 advantage intact.
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