Back in November, this blog and other commentators began urging states to bypass DOJ and go straight to United States District Court for approval of redistricting plans:

“The lesson here is that Republican-controlled legislatures that have drawn up redistricting plans that Democrats don’t like would be foolish to submit those plans to the Civil Rights Division for administrative review.  Instead, they should go straight to the federal district court in D.C., the alternative procedure set forth in the Voting Rights Act.”

Now it seems that Georgia may be following suit  (as well as others). 

“Republican political consultant Joel McElhannon, a confidante of many GOP officials, says a consensus is building among Georgia Republicans that going to court is the best option.”

Why are other states considering bypassing DOJ preclearance and going straight to District Court?  Because a federal court overseeing the process forced the Justice Department to scrap plans for handling the controversial redistricting submissions in Louisiana.  Make no mistake, Virginia and Louisiana were handled differently by DOJ because they submitted their plans simultaneously to the federal district court.