Residents urge shift to single-member districts after DOJ litigation; commissioners say authority lies with Board of Elections

Several residents urged the Houston County Board of Commissioners to change its method of electing commissioners from at‑large seats to single‑member districts, citing a Department of Justice-related lawsuit and long periods without minority representation on the board.

Reverend Dr. Ruth Jackson told the board she remained ‘‘unrest’’ after the DOJ action and asked whether the county had final authority to change the voting method. "If commissioners are elected from fairly drawn single member districts, then we argue that the black voters would have an equal opportunity to elect a representative of their choice to the board," she said. Jackson noted it has been 33 years since an African American served on the Houston County Commission and urged cooperative action to draw districts ahead of the 2026 election cycle.

Daryl Vining, pastor of Hebrew Fellowship Baptist Church, said the county's population growth and diversity argue for partitioned districts to give urban, suburban, rural and farm areas distinct representation: "It would make better sense that we partition our county commissioners in the same way so that those voices can be heard." He framed the change as necessary for representative government amid population growth.

Jacqueline Rozier, who said she ran for Post 4 in May 2022, described her candidacy and argued at‑large voting dilutes votes of people of color. She asked the chairman to seek help from the county's state legislative delegation to draw district lines and noted she and others were still waiting for the results of an internal county investigation referenced at a prior meeting.

Jonathan, identified as president of the Houston County NAACP, and other speakers reiterated requests for change and urged the board to pursue a solution without litigation if possible.

Board members and the chair later noted that a court case had been dismissed as to the County Commission and that the Board of Elections is the defendant in the current intervenor case; speakers and some county officials discussed whether the Board of Elections or the board of commissioners has authority to draw and submit district lines to the state. Public speakers pressed for clarity and for collaborative action to ensure representation by 2026. The transcript does not record a formal motion or vote on changing the election method at this meeting.