By State Representative Devan Seabaugh (R-Marietta)
(889 words)
During the first week of November, the Georgia General Assembly gaveled in for a special legislative session to update Georgia’s legislative and congressional districts. We were called into session by Governor Brian Kemp to fulfill this constitutional duty, and the House and Senate met for most of November to redraw the maps for Georgia’s state House, state Senate and 14 U.S. Congressional districts. My colleagues and I gave final passage to the new maps and adjourned this special session ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Every 10 years, following the U.S. Census, the process of redistricting begins all over the country. As the population in Georgia grows, the number of people in each district must be adjusted so that the population in each district is as close to equal as possible. This is accomplished by modifying the boundary lines of each district. In Georgia, the new resident population is 10,711,908, which is an increase of slightly more than a million people compared to the 2010 statewide count of 9,687,653 residents. Due to this major population increase, Georgia’s 14 congressional districts will adjust to include approximately 765,136 people per district. As for the Georgia General Assembly, the population increase requires each district in the 56-member state Senate to have close to 191,284 people, with the average district size of the 180-member state House being 59,511.
The House and Senate each have a redistricting committee, and these committees worked in conjunction with the nonpartisan Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office to redraw the district lines for each respective branch of government. Some of the redistricting committees’ joint priorities were to comply with federal guidelines, preserve district cores and population centers, accommodate communities of interest and keep counties whole as much as possible. In-person and Zoom town hall meetings were held across the state to gather input from local residents, legislators and communities of interest. An online portal was also made available for residents to offer comments before and during the creation of the new maps.
Due to population increases mainly in north Georgia and population shifts from rural South Georgia towards the greater-Atlanta area, several districts had to be combined, and some districts were shifted to more populated areas. In Cobb County, the population increased by around 78,000 people in the last 10 years. Cobb County has officially become Georgia’s third most populated county, and as such, the representation for our county will inevitably experience some adjustments. But, this increase in population also means our county will see greater representation at the state and federal levels. For instance, State Representatives Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) and Matt Dollar (R-Marietta) of east Cobb were drawn into the same district due to redistricting requirements, resulting in an additional district along the Powers Ferry Road corridor. My district, along with State Representative Ginny Ehrhart’s (R-Marietta) district, will be stretched north and northwest, making way for an open district in northwest Cobb County, Meanwhile, State Representative Ed Setzler’s (R-Acworth) current district shifted southeast. These district shifts will result in two additional House districts for Cobb County starting with the 2022 election cycle.
My current district, House District 34, will stretch more into northwest Cobb County, and House District 34 will transfer its current portions north of Highway 41 and east of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield over to House Districts 35 and 37. My district will still include communities inside the City of Kennesaw, southwest of Highway 41 and west in the City of Marietta, including Lee’s Crossing, Marietta High School, as well as communities down Cheatham Hill Road and Barrett Parkway.
There are other notable adjustments in our local legislative and congressional districts. Rep. Ehrhart’s current district will shift to represent the most western parts of Cobb County. Rep. Ed Setzler will move from District 35 into District 22, which includes some of North Cobb (mainly east of Interstate 75) and a large portion of west Cherokee County. This leaves an open seat that now incorporates portions of the city of Acworth and Kennesaw, Kennesaw State University, Town Center CID and the Cobb International Airport. State Senator Lindsey Tippins’ (R-Marietta) Senate District 37 still includes the cities of Acworth, Kennesaw and portions of Marietta; that district will also stretch north into southeast Bartow County to include the city of Emerson. Cobb County will gain another congressional representative from District 14, which is currently held by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene; this district shall cover the cities of Austell and Powder Springs and portions of west Cobb County (mainly between Highway 120 and Macland Road). U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk of District 11 will continue to represent the Cobb County cities of Acworth, Kennesaw, Marietta and Smyrna.
I appreciate the efforts of the House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee, along with my other House and Senate colleagues, for their tireless commitment to this redistricting process. With the increase in population over the past decade and the vast population shifts we have experienced out of rural Georgia and into the greater Atlanta area, including Cobb County, I am confident the district changes in Cobb County best represent the residents we currently have and will serve our county well over the next decade.
The updated legislative and congressional district maps, which include the Cobb County areas, are located on the nonpartisan Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office’s website under the “Proposed Plans” section here.
Representative Devan Seabaugh represents the citizens of District 34, which includes portions of Cobb County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2021 and currently serves on the Code Revision, Creative Arts & Entertainment and Transportation committees.
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