A judge is vetoing a Georgia county’s bid to draw its own electoral districts, upholding state power

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia judge is batting down an attempt by a local government to overrule state lawmakers and draw its own electoral districts, in a ruling that reinforces the supremacy of state government over local government

Cobb County Superior Court Judge Kellie Hill on Thursday ruled that the county can’t draw its own maps. Because candidates for two Cobb County Commission seats had already been nominated in primaries under the county-drawn maps, Hill ruled that the general election for those seats can’t go forward in November. Instead, Cobb County election officials must schedule a new primary and general election, probably in 2025.

The ruling in a lawsuit brought by prospective Republican county commission candidate Alicia Adams means residents in Georgia’s third-largest county will elect two county commissioners in districts mapped by the Republican-majority legislature, and not a map later drawn by the Democratic-majority Cobb County Commission.

“The court, having ruled the Home Rule Map unconstitutional in the companion appeal action finds that plaintiff has a clear legal right to seek qualification as a candidate for the Cobb County Commission, post 2, using the Legislative Map and, if qualified, to run in a special primary for that post,” Hill wrote in her decision.

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