List of States Stepping Up Redistricting Wars After Supreme Court Ruling

A number of states are moving ahead with new redistricting discussions following a Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday that could open the door to changes in how congressional maps are drawn.

The ruling in Louisiana vs. Callais found that Louisiana's congressional map had been drawn with an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. It also clarified that the Voting Rights Act does not necessarily require states to create districts where minority voters make up the majority of the population-known as "majority-minority" districts-in every case.

These are districts drawn so that racial or ethnic minority groups form more than 50 percent of eligible voters, often to ensure fair representation.

By narrowing how courts can require those districts, the decision could give Republican-controlled states more flexibility to redraw maps in ways that were previously harder to justify under federal law, with analysts warning it could ultimately affect a number of Democratic-held seats over time.

In response, several Southern governors have already urged state legislatures to begin reviewing their maps, with Louisiana among those expected to revisit the issue. While any immediate impact on the 2026 midterms may be limited by legislative and legal timelines, the ruling could have broader consequences for the 2028 election cycle and beyond as new district lines are drawn and challenged.

States Move to Redraw Maps

Other than Louisiana, multiple Republican-leaning states have ramped up redistricting efforts following the Supreme Court ruling. These include Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Florida moved quickly after the decision was announced Wednesday morning, as within hours, the House passed a new congressional map, drafted by the office of GOP Governor Ron DeSantis, 83-28 along party lines, followed by a 21-17 Senate vote, with three Republicans opposing.

The state had already been debating a new congressional map earlier this year. The map is now headed to DeSantis and could give Republicans up to four additional seats, shifting the balance from 20-8 to 24-4.

On Friday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced plans to convene in a special legislative session to "review the state's congressional map," beginning on May 5. The governor said: "We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters.”

Also on Friday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced that lawmakers would convene to discuss its congressional map from May 4. “I remain hopeful Alabama will receive a favorable outcome from the U.S. Supreme Court, which is why I am now calling a special session of the Alabama Legislature,” she wrote in a post on X.

On April 24, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also said, ahead of the Supreme Court ruling that “I am using my constitutional authority to allow the Mississippi Legislature to use their constitutionally recognized right to draw these maps once the new rules of the game are known following Louisiana vs. Callais.” Following the announcement of the Supreme Court’s ruling, Mississippi’s "special session" on the subject will be held later this month.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster also signaled interest in revisiting the state’s congressional map, writing on X on Friday that “it would be appropriate for the General Assembly to ensure that South Carolina's congressional map still complies with all requirements of federal law and the U.S. Constitution.”

Some Democrats Leave Door Open

Even governors who have voiced concern about the ruling, such as New Jersey’ Governor’s Mikie Sherrill, who deemed the ruling “reckless and wrong,” have said they are open to redistricting. She said in an interview with CNN she would be “willing to work with the legislature to do that.”

Other Democratic states like California, Virginia, Colorado and Washington have said they will respond in some way, shifting redistricting to bipartisan commissions through constitutional changes.

What Happens Next

As a number of other states have also raised cases against the way districts are drawn up, it is likely others may also announce plans to make changes.

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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 5:31 AM.