An Emerging Trend: Mid-Decade Redistricting

Last updated: May 11, 2026

Following a census, states employ various redistricting processes. In most states, legislators adopt congressional maps through the legislative process: both chambers of the legislature pass a bill, and the governor signs it into law. Other states require a supermajority of the legislature to adopt a new map or allow the legislature to adopt maps without the governor’s signature. Some states have delegated redistricting to commissions that are either independent or political. Many states also have backstop processes, such as delegating redistricting to the judiciary, that assign responsibility for drawing maps if the standard process fails to produce one.

As shown in the map below, over the last two years, several states have considered or enacted new maps in the middle of the decade, between censuses. President Donald Trump has often prompted this unprecedented activity. Several states, such as California and Texas, have already completed redistricting. Some states, such as South Carolina, are considering drawing new maps in light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Others have faced ongoing litigation since the start of the decade that continues to move through the court system. This litigation predates the president’s current redistricting push. 

Note: This map and the following narrative summaries focus on states that may have new maps for the 2026 midterm elections. Other states, such as Colorado and New Jersey, require longer timelines, but may introduce redrawn maps before the 2028 midterms.

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Alabama

In 2024, a court-appointed special master redrew Alabama’s maps to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Allen v. Milligan. The state remains under a court order not to redraw districts until after the 2030 census; however, the state attorney general has asked the Supreme Court to lift the injunction in light of the Louisiana v. Callais decision. The week of May 4, in a special session called by Gov. Kay Ivey, the legislature enacted a law allowing the state to hold a special primary using the pre-Milligan maps if the injunction is lifted.

California

In November 2025, California voters approved Proposition 50, a redistricting measure backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. This ballot measure established congressional districts for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. The new maps are now subject to multiple pending federal lawsuits. In January 2026, a panel of federal judges denied a request for an injunction that would have prevented the new maps from taking effect. On February 4, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the plaintiffs’ application for a writ of injunction enjoining the maps.

Florida

In April 2026, Gov. Ron DeSantis convened a special session to address congressional redistricting, and the legislature passed revised maps, which the governor signed into law. The new maps are facing legal challenges. Florida’s congressional primary is scheduled for August 18.

Indiana

President Donald Trump called on Indiana to redraw its congressional map and threatened primary campaigns against Republican legislators who did not support the effort. Ultimately, in December 2025, the legislature failed to pass legislation to redraw the state’s congressional districts. New maps passed the House on a 57-41 vote but were rejected by the Senate in a bipartisan 31-19 floor vote.

Kansas

In January 2026, Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins stated that he would not bring redistricting legislation to a vote in the upcoming session. Hawkins attributed his decision to the lack of sufficient votes to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s expected veto of any redistricting measure.

Louisiana

In 2024, Louisiana’s legislature enacted a new congressional map in response to a federal district court ruling requiring a second Black opportunity district. In April 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Louisiana v. Callais that the map unconstitutionally used race. Lawmakers will need to adopt a different map, and the governor issued an emergency order delaying the state’s May 16 congressional primaries so this year’s elections can take place with new districts in place, even though mail voting had already begun. Litigation has been filed against the delayed congressional primary.

Maryland

In November 2025, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore convened the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Commission, which recommended that the state legislature adopt a new map. The House passed legislation adopting the commission’s recommendations, while Senate President Bill Ferguson opposed the effort. On February 24, the candidate filing deadline passed, which experts considered the last opportunity to enact new maps. On April 13, the legislature adjourned for the year.

Missouri

In September 2025, during a special session, the Missouri legislature enacted a congressional redistricting plan, which Gov. Mike Kehoe signed into law. The map faces a veto referendum set for the November 2026 election. In March 2026, the Missouri Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the map, where plaintiffs claimed that the state constitution did not allow mid-decade redistricting. An additional lawsuit, Maggard v. Missouri, which seeks to suspend use of the new map until the outcome of the November referendum is known, will be argued in May.

New York

In January 2026, a state court ruled that New York’s 11th Congressional District violated the state constitution and state Voting Rights Act, reopening the map-drawing process. The district is one of the state’s only Republican-controlled House seats. A state appeals court denied a request to pause the lower court’s ruling pending resolution of the litigation. In March 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court granted an emergency petition by Republican members of Congress from New York to temporarily pause the redrawing process, leaving the map in place for this year’s midterms.

North Carolina

The North Carolina legislature adopted a new map in October 2025. State law allows the legislature to adopt a map by a simple majority without allowing the governor to veto it. A federal court challenged the map but was unsuccessful. 

Ohio

In January 2022, the Ohio Supreme Court struck down a legislative map for unlawful gerrymandering. Subsequently, the redistricting commission adopted a new temporary map, which was effective through the 2024 election cycle. In October 2025, the redistricting commission passed a bipartisan congressional map that is effective through the remainder of this decade.

South Carolina

On May 6, the South Carolina House of Representatives passed a resolution allowing the body to consider redistricting legislation after the close of the regular session on May 14. The following day, House Republicans introduced bills that would redraw the 6th congressional district, the state’s only Democratic-held and majority-Black district, and reschedule congressional primaries from June to August. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey opposes redistricting, and the Senate has not taken up any measures related to it.

Tennessee

In May 2026, Gov. Bill Lee convened a special session to consider congressional redistricting following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Legislators passed, and the governor approved, a new map redrawing the Memphis-based 9th congressional district, the state’s only Democratic-held and majority-Black district. Tennessee’s congressional primary is scheduled for August 6. A lawsuit seeking to stop the legislation from taking effect was subsequently filed.

Texas

In August 2025, the Texas legislature passed revised maps, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law. A federal district court in El Paso ruled that the redrawn map was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, but the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the decision in April 2026, permitting the maps to go into effect. 

Utah

The Utah Supreme Court found in 2024 that the legislature had violated the state constitution by enacting legislation allowing partisan gerrymandering despite a 2018 constitutional amendment prohibiting it. In November 2025, following the state Supreme Court’s decision, a state district court judge adopted a new map submitted by plaintiffs as part of litigation that had been ongoing since 2022.  In February 2026, the Utah Supreme Court and a federal appeals court denied Utah Republicans’ attempts to overturn the new map. This map will be in effect for the 2026 election unless the U.S. Supreme Court steps in. 

Additionally, Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation to expand the state Supreme Court, motivated in part by a desire to overturn the 2024 anti-gerrymandering decision, and an attempt to repeal the state constitution’s prohibition against partisan gerrymandering fell short of the number of signatures necessary to make November’s ballot.

Virginia

In October 2025, the Virginia legislature passed a proposed constitutional amendment to permit redistricting. The legislature passed the proposal again in January 2026 when it convened for a new session. Voters approved the referendum on April 21. The Virginia Supreme Court heard a case challenging the process that led to the redistricting referendum on April 27. Following the referendum, a lower court issued a ruling blocking certification of the referendum results on the same grounds as the existing legal challenge. On May 8, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated the referendum because early voting had begun before the legislature passed the proposal in 2025.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin has two ongoing state court lawsuits over congressional districts drawn by the legislature in 2021. The lawsuit accuses the Republican-majority legislature of partisan gerrymandering and seeks new, fairer maps. The lawsuits were dismissed in March and April 2026, and appeals have been filed.