At a meeting of the Joint Legislative Reapportionment Committee in Cartersville on Tuesday evening, Commissioner Jason Winters spoke on the need to keep Chattooga County intact in the upcoming re-districting process.

Winters said that it is important to keep Chattooga County together along with the rural areas of Floyd County in the current Georgia House District.  Winters suggested adding portions of rural Walker or Gordon County, rather than splitting Chattooga County into two districts.

Members of the committee said that the turn-out in Cartersville was the largest that they had seen at a reapportionment hearing.  The meetings are being held around the state for public input.

Most of the people speaking at the meeting urged the committee to use "common sense" and not to split up areas.  One Bartow County resident said that the districts should be drawn "not for parties; not for incumbents and not for egos."