Macon Telegraph Logo

Leave the maps alone — at least for the July 31 primary election | Macon Telegraph

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Subscribe
    • Archive Search

    • All News
    • Local
    • Houston & Peach
    • The Sun News
    • Crime
    • Food Story
    • Education
    • Databases
    • Business
    • Nation/World
    • Opinion
    • Weird News
    • All Sports
    • High Schools
    • University of Georgia
    • Bulldogs Beat
    • Georgia Tech
    • Mercer
    • Columns & Blogs
    • MLB & Braves
    • NFL & Falcons
    • NBA & Hawks
    • Auto Racing
    • Golf
    • NHL/Macon Mayhem
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • All Living
    • Family
    • Food
    • Home & Garden
    • Religion
    • Celebrations
    • Mark Ballard
    • Dear Abby
    • Entertainment
    • Out & About
    • Celebrities
    • Music
    • Restaurants
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Submit a Letter
    • Blogs & Columns
    • Opinion Columns & Blogs
    • Your Say
  • Obituaries
  • Education Together
  • Best of the Best

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad
  • Contests

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Editorials

Leave the maps alone — at least for the July 31 primary election

    ORDER REPRINT →

June 20, 2012 12:00 AM

The U.S. Justice Department approved the district maps for the Bibb County Board of Education on Friday. Earlier this spring, the board voted to use the old maps due to a timing issue not of its own creation. The controversy over when the maps were changed and by whom after the board voted on them is already clear. The maps were changed by state Sens. Cecil Staton and Miriam Paris and signed off on by the rest of the Bibb legislative delegation in the House. The problem arose when the final maps were certified inside the 60 day time frame required by the Justice Department. According to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the department must approve any changes to voting districts. The old maps had to be used because qualifying was in May.

Rep. Allen Peake believes the new maps should be used for the primary July 31. That’s understandable since he was one of the architects of the changes. Someone would have to file court action and ask for an injunction. That would be throwing good money after bad. It is not the school board’s fault that the maps were late getting to the Justice Department. That fault belongs to the political process that obviously became convoluted and wrapped up in other issues. If an injunction were granted it would necessitate opening up qualifying again and having another election just for school board seats. That’s a problem.

While that election could be held during the primary runoff scheduled for Aug. 21, the timing gets more complicated with each passing day. Most likely, a special election would have to be held Sept. 18. Taxpayers would have to foot the bill of thousands of dollars.

The best course of action is to float with the old maps. County commission maps are still waiting for Justice Department approval or denial. Commission maps have raised concerns because of changes made to District 4, and black lawmakers have taken it on the chin for allowing the maps to get pas them without a fight. However, we believe they thought the changes -- no matter how egregious -- would be a moot point if consolidation is approved.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Telegraph

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

-- Charles E. Richardson, for the Editorial Board

  Comments  

Videos

Why it's a bad idea to allow the state to take over failing schools

Lawmakers pull another sneak play

View More Video

Trending Stories

Missouri woman dies from injuries after chain-reaction crashes on I-75 near Perry

February 22, 2019 12:38 PM

Macon-Bibb commissioner ‘maintains his innocence’ after DUI arrest in downtown

February 22, 2019 06:27 AM

Hornets switch lineup, roll past Wizards 123-110

February 22, 2019 10:35 PM

‘Mom’ comes home: Joni Taylor returns to Lady Bulldogs’ bench 48 hours after giving birth

February 22, 2019 02:36 PM

A woman’s place is in the kitchen for inmates at the Bibb County Jail

February 22, 2019 05:51 PM

Read Next

President Trump, we’re not ‘enemies of the people.’ End your war on our free press

Editorials

President Trump, we’re not ‘enemies of the people.’ End your war on our free press

McClatchy

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 15, 2018 04:17 PM

President Donald Trump has veered into perilous territory with his assault on the free press and the First Amendment. His references to journalists as the “enemy of the American people” are no less dangerous because they happen to be strategic.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Telegraph

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE EDITORIALS

Accessing fastest internet speed will require lots of antennas. Where will they go?

Editorials

Accessing fastest internet speed will require lots of antennas. Where will they go?

May 25, 2018 01:28 PM
An inauspicious beginning to the new year

Editorials

An inauspicious beginning to the new year

January 27, 2018 09:00 PM
No legislative remedy for Peach County loss

Editorials

No legislative remedy for Peach County loss

January 20, 2018 09:00 PM
More tax questions coming in 2018

Editorials

More tax questions coming in 2018

January 12, 2018 11:12 AM
Is this the Dawgs' most important game?

Editorials

Is this the Dawgs' most important game?

January 06, 2018 09:00 PM
The F.C.C. overturns the apple cart... again

Editorials

The F.C.C. overturns the apple cart... again

December 15, 2017 02:13 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Macon Telegraph App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Advertise with Us
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story