Associated Press - November 4, 2009 12:14 PM ET

VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) - Lowndes County voters have approved a change that would give the south Georgia county five voting commissioners and a non-voting commission chairman.

Voters on Tuesday approved the change from the county's current system of 3 district commissioners and a non-voting chairman by a nearly 2 to 1 margin.

The plan would split Lowndes County in half, creating east and west superdistricts overlapping the three existing districts.

It is now up to the U.S. Department of Justice to determine if the plan meets the requirements of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Information from: The Valdosta Daily Times, http://valdostadailytimes.com/

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