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2027–2028 United States redistricting

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2027–2028 United States redistricting
States that have undergone mid-decade redistricting prior to the 2028 elections.
Anticipated new map; Democratic gain expected
Anticipated new map; Republican gain expected
Date
  • May 13, 2026 – present
  • (4 months, 1 week and 5 days)
Location
CausePartisan benefit in the 2028 United States House of Representatives elections, as well as state constitutional or court-mandated redistricting
A map displaying which states have undergone mid-decade redistricting between the 2026 and 2028 elections, colored by the reasoning behind the redistricting. Stripes indicate anticipated redistricting that has not been finalized or fully approved.

Voluntary redistricting
Court-ordered/mandatory redistricting
Redistricting challenge rejected by courts
Voluntary redistricting rejected

Beginning in May 2026, several U.S. states have considered redrawing their congressional districts ahead of the 2028 United States House of Representatives election, as a reaction to the 2025-2026 United States redistricting.

The redistricting began when the 2026 Louisiana v. Callais decision was released, which limited challenges to gerrymandered maps using the Voting Rights Act of 1965, triggering Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to call a special session to redraw its congressional maps. In response, Democratic leaders urged state leaders in New York to redraw their own congressional map, which requires constitutional amendments and a referendum held in 2027.

State redistricting efforts

Georgia

On May 13, 2026, Governor Brian Kemp called for a special session of the Georgia Legislature to draw the state's congressional map based on the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Louisiana v. Callais.[1] The new map is expected to dismantle at least one majority-minority district in the state that would allow Republicans to net gain at least 1 seat in the 2028 elections.[2]

Missouri

This section is an excerpt from 2026 Missouri Proposition A.[edit]
Map of Missouri's congressional districts used in the 2022 and 2024 congressional elections
Interactive map version
Map of Missouri's congressional districts subject to the veto referendum
Interactive map version

Proposition A will appear on the November 3, 2026, ballot in the state of Missouri as a veto referendum. Voters will decide whether congressional districts that the Missouri General Assembly adopted in 2025 will or will not take effect.

In September 2025, Missouri lawmakers passed—and Missouri governor Mike Kehoe signed into law—an act changing the state's congressional districts. The new districts dismantled the strongly democratic leaning 5th congressional district.

However, before the map took effect, it faced a lawsuit and a veto referendum. The lawsuit argued the new map was unconstitutional, and violated the part of Missouri's Constitution stating that redistricting had to occur after a United States census. But the Missouri Supreme Court disagreed, ruling 4–3 that the state constitution requires redistricting to happen after a census, but does not otherwise explicitly prohibit it.

The veto referendum, in which voters decide whether to pass or reject a law, was initiated by a group named People Not Politicians Missouri after they gathered over 300,000 signatures. Although the number of signatures submitted was sufficient, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins refused to place the measure on the ballot, stating that it was an unconstitutional measure.

On September 3, 2026, the Supreme Court of Missouri ruled that the veto referendum was constitutional, and that it could be held on redistricting, ordering the Secretary of State to use the enacted map from 2022 in the November 2026 elections.[3] Following the ruling, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed an emergency appeal to the US Supreme Court and filed a motion requesting the state Supreme Court to pause its ruling from taking effect while the appeal plays out.[4] However, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied this request on September 8, keeping the 2022 map in effect for the 2026 election.[5] However, the same day, Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark of the Eastern District of Missouri issued a temporary restraining order in a separate lawsuit prohibiting the state from using anything but the new 2025 map.[6] On September 10, the U.S. Supreme Court granted an emergency stay of Judge Clark's order, putting the 2022 map back into place for the 2026 elections.[7][8] On September 21, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, ruling on the merits, affirmed the temporary restraining order and remanded the case to the lower court for entry of a permanent injunction enjoining Missouri to use the 2025 map, but stayed their ruling for a week pending appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.[9]

New York

Initially, in 2026, multiple Democratic leaders, including Hakeem Jeffries, began to push New York Governor Kathy Hochul to respond to redistricting in Texas and other Republican states by redrawing New York's congressional districts similar to California's process; however, the state's use of an Independent Redistricting Commission was the primary obstacle to achieving the goal in time for the 2026 elections.[10] To bypass the commission, the state house and state senate will vote on one of the two constitutional amendments proposed this year and then again after the 2026 elections, which would then allow the state to put the amendments on a referendum in 2027. If passed, it will take effect in time for the 2028 elections.[11]

Maryland

Main article: 2026 Maryland Question 3

In 2026, Maryland attempted to redraw its congressional maps with both Governor Wes Moore and state Speaker of the House Joseline Peña-Melnyk's support. Despite a proposed map dismantling the sole Republican district passing the state house, state senate leader Bill Ferguson opposed the passage of such map and refused to hold a vote.[12] However, after the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, Ferguson expressed interest in engaging in a discussion to redraw the congressional line before the 2028 elections.[13] Such a legislative session would likely involve a proposed constitutional amendment, which would then be proposed to voters as a ballot referendum.[14] The special legislative session to potential redistricting will take place in August 2026.[15] On August 26, a court blocked the referendum from appearing on the November ballot, a decision being appealed to the Maryland Supreme Court.[16] On September 3, 2026, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled the ballot measure could appear on the November ballot, but ordered a wording change.[17]

Potential expansion

New Jersey

After the Louisiana v. Callais ruling was announced, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherill announced her openness to redrawing the state's congressional districts, however, noted that the process would not be easy and would require a constitutional referendum.[18] Senate president Nick Scutari also expressed interest in redrawing the map, however it is unknown whether Democrats have enough votes to go through with such proposal.[19]

Washington

In May of 2026, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced that he would support mid-decade redistricting if the Democrats won supermajorities in both chambers of the Washington Legislature in the upcoming 2026 elections.[20] Currently, Washington uses an independent redistricting commission to draw the state's legislative maps, which would need a constitutional amendment to get rid of. While not impossible, obtaining a supermajority for both chambers of the state legislature is difficult and will make redistricting attempts for the 2028 elections unlikely to happen.[citation needed]

Wisconsin

In September 2026, the Wisconsin Supreme Court heard oral arguments for a pair of Democratic lawsuits seeking to throw out the state's congressional map for the 2028 election.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp calls special legislative session to redraw congressional map after Supreme Court ruling - CBS Atlanta". www.cbsnews.com. May 13, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  2. ^ "Georgia to draw new congressional maps for 2028". POLITICO. May 13, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  3. ^ Keller, Rudi (September 3, 2026). "Missouri Supreme Court blocks gerrymandered congressional map, orders referendum vote". Missouri Independent. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
  4. ^ "Missouri attorney general asks U.S. Supreme Court to block map ruling". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  5. ^ "Supreme Court rejects Missouri's request to use congressional map with extra GOP seat". CNN. September 8, 2026. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  6. ^ Lieb, David A.; Whitehurst, Lindsay (September 8, 2026). "Competing court orders add confusion to Missouri congressional elections". Associated Press. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  7. ^ Chung, Andrew (September 10, 2026). "US Supreme Court blocks Republican-drawn congressional map in Missouri". Reuters. Retrieved September 10, 2026.
  8. ^ Fritze, John (September 10, 2026). "Supreme Court deals another blow to GOP hopes of capturing extra congressional seat | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved September 10, 2026.
  9. ^ Lieb, David A (September 21, 2026). "Appeals court favors Trump-backed Missouri congressional map, but Supreme Court will have final say". AP. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
  10. ^ City, Bobby Cuza New York. "Democrats face obstacles in changing New York's redistricting laws". ny1.com. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  11. ^ "New York Democrats to introduce 2 redistricting amendments". POLITICO. May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  12. ^ Fortin, Jacey (April 14, 2026). "Democrats' Redistricting Effort in Maryland Runs Out of Time". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  13. ^ "Maryland state senator calls for emergency special session to redraw congressional map - CBS Baltimore". www.cbsnews.com. May 28, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  14. ^ https://marylandmatters.org/2026/05/22/ferguson-opens-the-door-to-redistricting-slightly-in-wake-of-supreme-court-ruling/
  15. ^ "Maryland plans August special session to set up 2028 redistricting". POLITICO. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  16. ^ https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/maryland-court-blocks-democrats-redistricting-amendment-november-ballo-rcna594579
  17. ^ "Maryland Supreme Court greenlights vote on Democrats' 2028 gerrymandering plan". Politico. September 3, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  18. ^ DiFilippo, Dana (May 1, 2026). "Gov. Sherrill eyes redistricting in NJ after controversial voting rights decision • New Jersey Monitor". New Jersey Monitor. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  19. ^ Fox, Joey (May 13, 2026). "Senate President says New Jersey redistricting is on the table as red states redraw maps". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  20. ^ Harger, Charlie (May 16, 2026). "'I would lead it': Ferguson commits to gerrymandering Washington's congressional map if Democrats win legislature supermajority". MyNorthwest.com. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  21. ^ Pellish, Aaron (September 14, 2026). "The 2028 redistricting fight is already kicking off". Politico. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
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