Baker will appeal redistricting decision

By RHONDA COOK
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/13/04

Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker announced Friday he would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court a decision earlier this week declaring state House and Senate maps unconstitutional and ordering the Legislature to come up with new plans by March 1.

Baker made the decision after talking with fellow Democrat Secretary of State Cathy Cox, the only named defendant in the Republican lawsuit that resulted in the federal court ruling. Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue had urged Baker and Cox not to appeal.

Three federal judges ruled Tuesday that the state's legislative maps violated the one person one vote constitutional doctrine because districts that leaned Republican were drawn with more people in them than those who were likely to vote for Democrats. The Democratic leaders who drew the maps in 2001 packed GOP voters into as few districts as possible while spreading out those who were more likely to choose a Democrat.

Though the courts have ruled that a certain amount of deviation from what is considered the optimal number of people per district is acceptable, it is not legal to use that deviation to help one party and intentionally hurt another.