Georgia lawmakers have approved new political maps. Now a judge will weigh in

Republican state Sen. Bill Cowsert speaks in the well of the Senate chamber at the State Capitol on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is in the background. The GOP-majority Senate and House this week approved new congressional and state legislatives maps that go to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature and then are subject to court review. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

New Georgia political maps have been signed into law by the governor after Republican state lawmakers unilaterally passed revised district lines ahead of a court-imposed deadline on Friday.

But even with the close of the special legislative session on Thursday, uncertainty remains over the fate of Georgia’s maps for Congress and the state legislature. 

The new maps will now be subject to court review, appeals could drag on for months and meanwhile, incumbents and potential candidates for office are up against a March qualifying deadline to decide where to run.