by Shannon McCaffrey
ATLANTA (AP) — The outgoing head of the National
Black Conference of State Legislators says redistricting will be a "major,
major issue" after the midterm elections in which Republicans made big
gains.
State Rep. Calvin Smyre, a Democrat from Columbus,
said Wednesday that while the GOP picked up hundreds of seats in statehouses —
where district lines will be redrawn — population growth is expected to be
greatest among minority groups, which tend to vote Democratic.
He said the organization of black lawmakers would
work this year to make sure African-Americans are not diluted in the
redistricting process, which will take place after new census numbers are
released.
Smyre was speaking in Atlanta at the kickoff the
34th annual conference of black state legislators.
Copyright
2010 The Associated Press.
