Leaders in the Georgia House of Representatives will not redraw the state’s congressional districts during a special legislative session that Gov. Brian Kemp called last month.
Republican Governor Calls Special Session To Address Redistricting
Kemp called the session to draw new congressional districts that would take effect in the 2028 election cycle.
“To consider enacting, revising, repealing, or amending general law for the division of the State into appropriate districts from which members of the Georgia State Senate, the Georgia State House of Representatives, the United States House of Representatives to the United States Congress, or any other state office elected by district, in light of the United States Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais,” a proclamation issued last month read.
“Changes to Georgia’s maps should take place only when members of the General Assembly and citizens have been given ample opportunity to gather the facts, provide input, and engage in meaningful discussion,” the state House's Republican leadership wrote in a letter to Kemp, according to The New York Times.
“For this reason, we will not be taking up congressional or legislative redistricting for the 2028 election cycle during this special session," it continued.
Breaking News: Leaders in the Georgia House of Representatives said they would not take up redistricting during a legislative session that had been set to start this afternoon — and that had been called expressly to erase majority-Black districts. https://t.co/fXYkl9fPmJ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 17, 2026
More from The New York Times:
Some Republicans had quietly expressed reluctance about redistricting ahead of the session, fearful it would energize Democrats during an election cycle with pivotal statewide races on the ballot. They include the governor’s office being vacated by Mr. Kemp and the Senate seat held by Jon Ossoff, a Democrat seeking re-election.
Still, others in the Republican Party had wanted to take advantage of majorities in the State Legislature and the certainty of having a Republican governor to push through a favorable map for 2028 now.
Even as other Southern states — including Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana — rushed to create new maps in time for the 2026 election, Mr. Kemp resisted, saying it was too late as voting in the May primaries had already started.
“When the House learned that it was placed on the call for a special session, we knew it was not the right path forward for our state at this time. We believe that it is important to do things the Georgia way — responsibly, transparently, and with ample opportunity for public input,” House Speaker Jon Burns said in a press conference, according to NBC News.
AJC: Georgia State House leaders nix redistricting plans over fears of energizing Democrats
“Georgia’s House Republican leaders won’t redraw Georgia’s political maps during a special legislative session that starts Wednesday, retreating from a proposal that had threatened to…
— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) June 17, 2026
NBC News noted:
Still, Republican leaders suggested they could revisit the issue ahead of the 2028 election cycle.
“Because any changes to our current congressional or legislative districts would not go into effect until 2028, we believe it is prudent to take the appropriate and necessary time to do this important duty the right way and not to rush through it,” said Republican state Senate President Pro Tempore Larry Walker III.
