A federal judge in Georgia approved on Thursday the state’s recently revised political maps for both the US Congress and the state’s legislature. A group of plaintiffs challenged the maps, arguing that they diminish the influence of Black voters in Georgia in violation of the Voting Rights Act. But US District Judge Steve Jones disagreed, finding that the Republican-controlled legislature “fully complied” with an October 26 order to incorporate additional majority-Black districts.

In their challenge to the maps, plaintiff civil rights organizations and religious groups claimed that the revised maps unfairly diminished the voting influence of Black voters in Georgia. They argued this violated the Voting Rights Act, which requires fair representation for minority groups within the state.

In his ruling, Jones wrote, “The Court finds that the General Assembly fully complied with this Court’s order requiring the creation of Black-majority district in the regions of the State where vote dilution was found. Hence, the Court overrules Plaintiff’s objections.” Jones also said, “[F]ederal judges have no license to reallocate political power between the two major political parties, given the lack of constitutional authority and the absence of legal standards to direct such actions.”

Georgia’s Republican-controlled legislature approved the updated political maps during a special session. While the maps adhered to Jones’ October order to create an additional with a Black majority, they also safeguarded the Republican’s existing 9-5 advantage in the state’s US congressional delegation. While it does create a new majority-Black congressional district, it split Congressional District 7, which historically drew Democratic voters from Black, Asian American and Latino constituents.

Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-GA), who currently serves Congressional District 7, announced her intention to run for the newly established majority-Black district—Congressional District 6—shortly after Thursday’s ruling.