Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called a special session of the Georgia Legislature to redraw the state’s congressional map.
“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 read.
According to the proclamation, any changes will take effect in the 2028 election cycle.
The special session begins on June 17.
More below:
🚨 JUST IN: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has officially called a SPECIAL SESSION to REDISTRICT the state's Congressional maps by the 2028 election, as a result of SCOTUS striking down racial gerrymandering
This could result in 2 blue seats being fully WIPED OUT, leaving the map… pic.twitter.com/ZycnDBBc1i
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 13, 2026
CBS News shared further:
Kemp had signaled that the special session was coming but mentioned that early voting was already underway for the 2026 elections, and that any changes to the maps wouldn’t happen in the next few weeks or months.
ADVERTISEMENTFollowing the Supreme Court ruling in May, the governor said the decision made clear that Georgia would need new electoral maps before 2028.
“It’s clear that Callais requires Georgia to adopt new electoral maps before the 2028 election cycle,” Kemp said at the time.
Kemp had also praised the ruling itself, saying it “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.”
Georgia Republican Chairman Josh McCoon had also called for a special session following the ruling, saying new maps must prioritize what he described as traditional redistricting principles, including contiguity, compactness and respect for political subdivisions, without what he called the distorting influence of racial targets.
“We just learned that Georgia is moving forward with gerrymandering for 2028. There is an extreme movement in this country that will stop at nothing to hold on to power, even if it means stripping representation away from millions. I will fight this with everything I have,” Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) commented.
We just learned that Georgia is moving forward with gerrymandering for 2028.
There is an extreme movement in this country that will stop at nothing to hold on to power, even if it means stripping representation away from millions.
I will fight this with everything I have.
— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) May 13, 2026
More from The Guardian:
Redistricting typically happens every 10 years after the US census. In some states, independent commissions oversee the map-making, while in others, it’s a highly partisan process.
Starting last year, though, a raft of states pushed through new districts after Trump pressured Republican-led states to redraw maps to create House seats more favorable to their party, given the losses the GOP expect to face in this year’s midterms. Some Democratic-led states have responded in kind, remaking their maps to favor their side.
Georgia’s special legislative session will also include addressing issues related to a new law banning QR codes on ballots that is set to take effect in July.
