Georgia Houston County Board of Commissioners At-Large Electoral Method Challenge

Lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) against Houston County, Georgia, and the members of the county board of commissioners challenging the at-large method for electing commissioners. The Houston County Board of Commissioners consists of five members, elected countywide to staggered four-year terms. The DOJ alleges that under the at-large system, Black voters who represent approximately 32 percent of the county’s voting-age population are unable to elect a candidate of their choice. They also allege that under a four-district or five-district plan, Black voters living in the northern and eastern parts of the county could be districted into a majority-Black district. The DOJ argues that the current system unfairly dilutes the political power of Black voters in Houston County, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The DOJ asks the court to block the county from holding future elections under the at-large system and order the county to implement a new redistricting plan. On Mar. 7, 2025, two black voters were granted intervention as plaintiffs.

On March 24, 2025, the Trump administration voluntarily dismissed its case. The private plaintiffs’ claims remain. On Sept. 2, 2025, the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss.

STATUS: On Apr. 24, 2026, defendants filed a motion for summary judgment. On May 22, 2026, in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Callais gutting Section 2 of the VRA, plaintiffs filed a motion to amend the scheduling order to allow for additional discovery. Defendants filed their opposition on May 29 and plaintiffs filed their reply on June 12.

On June 22, 2026, the court granted the motion to push back discovery deadlines and paused plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment pending additional discovery. On Aug. 20, 2026, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint.

Last updated: August 20, 2026 6:08 pm EST