The Georgia legislature has passed a new congressional map, intending to address issues of discrimination raised earlier this year. The move comes after a federal judge invalidated the state's previous map, citing violations of the Voting Rights Act. Despite efforts to create a more balanced district distribution, the new map is facing criticisms and potential legal challenges.

The state Senate greenlit the new map earlier this week, which maintains the existing partisan split with nine Republican-leaning and five Democratic-leaning districts. On Thursday, the state General Assembly voted 98-71 in favor of the map's adoption. The final step before implementation is the signature of Republican Governor Brian Kemp.

However, the state faces a looming deadline of December 8 to finalize the new map. If no agreement is reached by then, Judge Steve C. Jones of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia said he would appoint an outside expert to draw a new map.

One notable change in the latest map is the inclusion of a new Black majority district to the west of Atlanta. However, state Democrats argue that the map violates the Voting Rights Act by altering the district currently held by Democratic Representative Lucy McBath. McBath's current seat, described as a "coalition" district, consists of a diverse voter demographic, including Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Latino communities.

McBath expressed her lack of surprise at attempts to redistrict her out of her seat, emphasizing that she has been targeted by the legislature in the past. She affirmed her intention to continue running for Congress, regardless of the outcome.

Democratic State Representative Billy Mitchell criticized the new map, claiming that it disenfranchises thousands of Georgia voters and undermines the fairness of the electoral process. Republicans, on the other hand, defended the map, highlighting the inclusion of a new Black majority district as required by the court order.

The debate surrounding the new map is anticipated to lead to a legal battle, as redistricting litigation in several states could potentially impact the balance of power in the closely divided House in next year's elections.

Judge Jones previously ruled in October that the state's initial map violated the Voting Rights Act, finding that Black voters' influence was marginalized in several districts around Atlanta and northern Georgia. He ordered the state to draw a new map with at least one new minority opportunity district by December 8, or he would appoint a special master to do so for the 2024 election.

The court process also includes an opportunity for objections to the new map, with a hearing scheduled for December 20 to review the plans. Judge Jones made it clear that any map for the 2024 elections must align with his findings on the Voting Rights Act violations.

A comparable situation unfolded in Alabama earlier this year, when a court ruling deemed the state's congressional map in violation of the Voting Rights Act. In that case, the judge rejected the state's remedial map and instead imposed a map drawn by an external expert for the 2024 elections.

As the deadline for finalizing Georgia's new congressional map approaches, the fate of the districts and potential legal challenges hang in the balance, creating uncertainties for the political landscape of the state.