The 2010 census population numbers have resulted in a need for political redistricting in Georgia, and one locally-based group has been making the rounds of Northwest Georgia counties with a plan in hand.

Gordon County commissioners signed a resolution Tuesday in support of a Dalton group’s proposal to re-shift the Northwest Georgia congressional district.

According to Ed Painter, co-founder of NGNG (Northwest Georgia for Northwest Georgians), the resolution said:

The proposed district would include 13 counties: Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Pickens, Polk, Walker and Whitfield.

The group’s reason for choosing these counties is to make the district more compact.

“This district would follow transportation corridors, have natural geographic features and share common economic interests and natural resources,” Painter explained.

Whitfield, Murray, Walker, Pickens and Chattooga Counties have already signed resolutions supporting the proposed district boundaries, he said.

“There would be hardly any disruption of county boundaries, and the distance between furthest points would be reduced from 180 to 140 miles,” according to the resolution.

Painter said NGNG will present the proposal with signed resolutions from each county midmonth to the Georgia general assembly in a special session, called by Gov. Nathan Deal, to decide on how the districts will be modified.

For more information about the Northwest Georgia Congressional district, pick up a copy of Saturday’s edition of the Calhoun Times.