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Georgia won’t redraw congressional map ahead of midterms, Kemp says
TL;DR
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that the state will not redraw its congressional map ahead of the midterms, maintaining the May 19 primary schedule. This decision follows a Supreme Court ruling impacting redistricting efforts in the South.
Key points
- Georgia will not redraw congressional lines before midterms
- Kemp rejects calls to reschedule the primary
- Supreme Court ruling influenced redistricting efforts
Mentioned in this story
Brian Kemp
Voting Rights ActLouisiana v. Callais
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, said Friday his state will not redraw its congressional lines ahead of the midterms, rejecting calls to reschedule the state’s upcoming primary.
The outgoing Republican governor said that he will not cancel Georgia’s May 19 primary or rush to redraw congressional maps, following a Supreme Court ruling that gutted the Voting Rights Act and triggered a Republican-led push to redraw districts across the South.
Kemp made it clear that he will not be a part of that push this cycle, but praised the court’s ruling.
“The Supreme Court’s decision Louisiana v. Callais restores fairness to our redistricting process and allows states to pass electoral maps that reflect the will of the voters, not the will of federal judges,” Kemp said Friday.
“Voting is already underway for the 2026 elections,” he added, meaning changes to the maps would not be possible this year.
However, he acknowledged that the ruling would still impact Georgia’s elections in the future: “It’s clear that Callais requires Georgia to adopt new electoral maps before the 2028 election cycle.”
President Donald Trump ignited a redistricting war earlier this cycle, when he first urged Texas Republicans to redraw their lines. Democratic and Republican states responded in kind — including Florida, North Carolina, California and Virginia — bringing the change in seats to roughly a draw.
But the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down a Louisiana congressional map that created a second majority Black district has led to calls from Republicans for more last-minute redraws, particularly in Southern states.
The decision triggered Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, also a Republican, to order his state’s upcoming primaries be canceled days before early voting was scheduled to start in order to redraw the maps.
Trump also said Thursday he had spoken to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and that Tennessee would be moving to erase a Democratic-held seat there.
Q&A
Why won't Georgia redraw its congressional map before the midterms?
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp stated that the state will not redraw its congressional lines due to the timing of the upcoming elections and ongoing voting.
What did the Supreme Court ruling mean for Georgia's redistricting?
The Supreme Court ruling in *Louisiana v. Callais* has led to a Republican push for redistricting, but Kemp's decision means Georgia will not participate in this cycle.
When is the primary election scheduled in Georgia?
Georgia's primary election is scheduled for May 19, 2026.
