Senate votes to divide Athens into two Senate districts

ATHENS - House lawmakers voted yesterday to redraw the Senate's political map - a move that will affect the 49th District, which includes Hall County and part of Jackson and is now represented by Casey Cagle of Gainesville.

The move divides the Democratic stronghold of Athens into two Senate districts.

The plan's GOP sponsor said it was an effort to honor a five-year-old request from commissioners in rural Madison County to put their community under one state senator.

But Democrats decried it as an election-year ``hijacking'' designed to hurt the chances of a House Democrat seeking the seat.

The changes in the 49th are all in Jackson County - moving portions of Braselton and Jefferson into the district.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/2/117011