SMITH WOULD NO LONGER BE REPRESENTATIVE
By Jamie Gardner
For the past several months a joint committee made up of members of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate, headed by Representative Roger Lane (R-Darien), conducted hearings around the state to gain input into the reapportionment/redistricting process that must be conducted every 10 years for different reasons including complying with the Federal Voting Rights Act. This past week the state released proposed redistricting maps for the house and senate.
PROPOSED STATE HOUSE DISTRICTS SHOWS APPLING DIVIDED.
Maps released, Appling divided
On the senate side, Appling County faired well remaining in one piece in District 19 with incumbent Senator Tommie Williams. The overall makeup of the district includes all of Appling, Wayne, Jeff Davis, Telfair, Wheeler, Montgomery, Toombs, Long, Treutlen, a small portion of Liberty and about half of Tattnall.
However, the proposed map for the house of representatives has Appling basically cut in half and divided between two districts. The proposed map shows the northern portion of the county in House District 156, represented by Greg Morris (R-Vidalia), and the southern portion of the county would be in House District 178, represented by Chad Nimmer (R-Blackshear). In District 156 the northern portion of the county would be joined with all of Toombs and Montgomery and a small portion of Jeff Davis. The southern half, or District 178, would consist of the portion of Appling along with all of Pierce and Brantley, plus the vast majority of Wayne.
So what happened to Appling’s current Representative Tommy Smith (R-Nichols)? Smith’s district (169) is now made up of all of Bacon County along with major portions of Coffee and Jeff Davis. In addition Smith has been paired against another incumbent, as Representative Chuck Simms (R-Ambrose) and Smith will now have to compete to see who will represent District 169. Neighboring Jeff Davis is likened to a child’s puzzle, being divided three ways according to the proposed map.
“It’s been tough putting this plan together, but we’ve created a plan that does a great job of representing all Georgians and complying with all legal requirements,” said Rep. Roger Lane, chairman of the House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee. “I’m proud of the plan that we’ve created together and look forward to a bipartisan vote in favor of this plan.”
The News-Banner spoke with Representative Tommy Smith on Friday about the proposed maps. “I am very disappointed,” said Smith. “If ever there were three counties that share common interests it’s Appling, Jeff Davis and Bacon. The three communities work in unity, such as with the Tri-County Development Authority.”
As for Georgia Congressional Districts, preliminary proposals show that Appling could be cut out of the First Congressional District (U.S. Republican Representative Jack Kingston of Savannah) and moved into the Eighth Congressional District (U.S. Republican Representative Austin Scott of Tifton).
The state legislature is expected to start consideration of the proposals early this week in a special session. Later in the session legislators will consider the new congressional districts.
During the 2001 reapportionment process, the maps were challenged and ultimately drawn by federal courts. Of the 180 house seats, the new proposal calls for 72 of Georgia’s 159 counties to be split. In comparison when the federal courts finalized the existing districts, in 2004, there were 77 counties split.
However, the proposed map for the house of representatives has Appling basically cut in half and divided between two districts. The proposed map shows the northern portion of the county in House District 156, represented by Greg Morris (R-Vidalia), and the southern portion of the county would be in House District 178, represented by Chad Nimmer (R-Blackshear). In District 156 the northern portion of the county would be joined with all of Toombs and Montgomery and a small portion of Jeff Davis. The southern half, or District 178, would consist of the portion of Appling along with all of Pierce and Brantley, plus the vast majority of Wayne.
So what happened to Appling’s current Representative Tommy Smith (R-Nichols)? Smith’s district (169) is now made up of all of Bacon County along with major portions of Coffee and Jeff Davis. In addition Smith has been paired against another incumbent, as Representative Chuck Simms (R-Ambrose) and Smith will now have to compete to see who will represent District 169. Neighboring Jeff Davis is likened to a child’s puzzle, being divided three ways according to the proposed map.
PROPOSED STATE SENATE DISTRICTS.
“It’s been tough putting this plan together, but we’ve created a plan that does a great job of representing all Georgians and complying with all legal requirements,” said Rep. Roger Lane, chairman of the House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee. “I’m proud of the plan that we’ve created together and look forward to a bipartisan vote in favor of this plan.”
The News-Banner spoke with Representative Tommy Smith on Friday about the proposed maps. “I am very disappointed,” said Smith. “If ever there were three counties that share common interests it’s Appling, Jeff Davis and Bacon. The three communities work in unity, such as with the Tri-County Development Authority.”
As for Georgia Congressional Districts, preliminary proposals show that Appling could be cut out of the First Congressional District (U.S. Republican Representative Jack Kingston of Savannah) and moved into the Eighth Congressional District (U.S. Republican Representative Austin Scott of Tifton).
The state legislature is expected to start consideration of the proposals early this week in a special session. Later in the session legislators will consider the new congressional districts.
During the 2001 reapportionment process, the maps were challenged and ultimately drawn by federal courts. Of the 180 house seats, the new proposal calls for 72 of Georgia’s 159 counties to be split. In comparison when the federal courts finalized the existing districts, in 2004, there were 77 counties split.
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