The U.S. Justice Department has initiated a lawsuit against a county in Georgia, contending that its current electoral practices with respect to county commissioners are discriminatory towards Black voters.
Houston County, situated south of Macon and boasting a population of approximately 163,000, employs an at-large electoral system for its five commission seats.
The civil action filed in the U.S. District Court asserts that these at-large elections infringe upon the Voting Rights Act by diminishing the representation of Black voters, who constitute nearly one-third of the local electorate.
According to the lawsuit, “White voters cast their ballots sufficiently as a bloc to defeat Black voters’ preferred candidate” during the elections for county commissioner in Houston County.
The Justice Department highlights that since the post-Civil War era, only one Black commissioner has been elected in Houston County, with all current commissioners being white, including the Chairman, Dan Perdue.
Perdue is the son of Sonny Perdue, who previously served as the governor of Georgia and U.S. agriculture secretary, and currently supervises Georgia’s public universities.
The Justice Department argues that if the county were to implement a system of district-based elections, Black candidates would be afforded a fairer opportunity to secure victories.
Consequently, the department has requested a judge to bar Houston County from holding any future at-large elections for commission positions and to mandate that officials develop a more equitable electoral framework.
Houston County largely consists of rural areas, yet it is also home to Robins Air Force Base, which serves as Georgia’s largest industrial facility, employing around 22,000 military personnel, civilians, and contractors.
In response to the allegations made by the Justice Department, the county commissioners issued a statement asserting they are looking into the claims. They affirmed their commitment to abiding by the law, stating, “If we agree with the DOJ’s assessment regarding a possible breach of the Voting Rights Act after examining all relevant documents and evidence, we will take suitable actions at that time.”
