Bibb officials differ on effect of Supreme Court ruling on elections | Elections | Macon.com

Tuesday morning’s 5-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to repeal part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act will affect the upcoming elections for the new Macon-Bibb County consolidated government.

But late Tuesday, the question among local officials remained: What exactly will that impact be?

“Honestly, (some) of the pieces of the decision, I’m not completely sure about,” said state Rep. James Beverly, D-Macon.

Other members of the state Legislature had widely varying interpretations of the ruling’s impact.

State Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, said he has been advised by legislative counsel that the decision clears the way for nonpartisan elections in Bibb.

Meanwhile, state Sen. David Lucas, D-Macon, said he thinks nonpartisan elections are off the table for this year.

Bibb County Attorney Virgil Adams declined to discuss the ruling, except to say he’s still reviewing it.

“As to local implications, I can’t comment right now,” he said.

Bibb County elections initially were scheduled for July after the Republicans in the local legislative delegation pushed through changes to the new government’s charter to replace partisan elections with nonpartisan contests.

via Bibb officials differ on effect of Supreme Court ruling on elections | Elections | Macon.com.