Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Nov 4

Georgia's Kemp Rejects Special Session on Redistricting Before Democrat Takes Power in 2027

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Nov 4

Georgia's Kemp Rejects Special Session on Redistricting Before Democrat Takes Power in 2027

Q: With the redistricting session canceled, how will the state resolve its pending federal map litigation before the next major election cycle?

Georgia’s pending map dispute will now be resolved in federal court, not through a new legislative redraw before January. The key case is the challenge to Georgia’s 2021 congressional and legislative maps. A federal district judge had previously found parts of those maps violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and ordered changes, leading lawmakers to adopt revised maps in 2023. But the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later vacated that earlier ruling and sent the case back to the district court for reconsideration after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in *Louisiana v. Callais* changed the legal standard. That means the next step is a renewed review by the district court, likely including new briefing and possibly additional hearings, to decide whether Georgia’s maps are lawful under the updated framework. If either side challenges that outcome, the case could return to the 11th Circuit and potentially beyond. In the meantime, the maps adopted in 2023 remain in place. Reporting on the case indicates there is no expected change to the districts used in Georgia’s 2026 elections. So, absent a new court order, the state will continue using the current maps while the litigation proceeds. Practically, that pushes any major change to a later election cycle, most likely 2028, unless the federal courts move unusually quickly or order a different interim remedy.

2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 4

Brian Kemp said Wednesday he will not call a special session to redraw Georgia’s congressional map or curb gubernatorial powers before Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms takes office.
Kemp said voters had spoken and Georgia would respect election results, cutting off speculation that Republicans might use the post-election window to lock in advantages before losing the governorship.
That speculation grew after Republican lawmakers abandoned a June special session on 2028 maps less than an hour after it began, citing a slower public process amid protests and electoral concerns.
The fight sits within a broader Southern push to redraw districts after a Supreme Court ruling weakened the Voting Rights Act, opening the door to maps that could reduce minority representation.
Kemp still left open the possibility of a special session on budget matters before January, when the regular legislative session begins.