Georgia Governor Calls Special Session on Congressional Maps

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a proclamation Wednesday convening the General Assembly in special session on June 17 to redraw congressional, state Senate, state House and other district lines in response to an April 29 Supreme Court ruling. The 6-3 decision in the Louisiana case found that the state's second majority-Black congressional district relied too heavily on race and constituted an unconstitutional gerrymander.

Georgia officials had previously indicated the ruling would require the state to adopt new maps before the 2028 elections. The regular 2026 legislative session ended April 3, necessitating the special session limited to redistricting and a separate election-code issue involving QR codes on ballots.

Any new maps drawn would not impact early voting already underway for the 2026 midterms. The governor had praised the Supreme Court decision, stating it restores fairness to redistricting and allows maps that reflect the will of voters rather than federal judges.

Republican Party officials called for aggressive action to eliminate what they described as racially gerrymandered districts and to draw compact, contiguous maps respecting county and municipal boundaries.

A leading Democratic senator said Republicans were robbing Georgians of their voice by redrawing lines instead of addressing issues such as health care costs and economic pressures. The senator linked the move to broader accusations that the same officials had previously affected access to doctors to fund tax cuts.

The former Atlanta mayor and current Democratic candidate for governor described the redistricting as a blatant attempt to dilute Black voting power and said she would veto any such map if elected. She announced a new voting rights act named after civil rights leaders as part of her platform.

He urged drawing districts that respect communities, county lines and voters, noting that high turnout and civic engagement could overcome even carefully drawn maps. The chair of the state's Democratic Party called the session a brazen attempt to take away the voting power of Black Georgians and predicted it would instead galvanize voters to turn out in record numbers.

The state Republican Party described the governor's action as decisive and said it provided an opportunity to draw maps rooted in traditional, race-neutral principles rather than artificial racial quotas. Party officials stated Georgians deserve fair districts that reflect the will of the voters.

A Republican lieutenant governor candidate who had earlier called for a special session immediately after the Supreme Court ruling celebrated the proclamation and said it was time to complete the work. The current secretary of state and Republican gubernatorial candidate expressed full support, saying the governor was following the law and providing steady leadership.

A Republican district organization emphasized that the new lines would shape congressional, state legislative and Public Service Commission districts for the 2028 cycle. It encouraged creation of compact districts that keep communities together to give voters confidence their voices are heard.

Other Republican candidates for lieutenant governor, governor and a newly elected U.S. House member had previously voiced support for redistricting in the state.

“It's clear that Callais requires Georgia to adopt new electoral maps before the 2028 election cycle.”

States across the South have begun reconsidering or redrawing maps after the Louisiana decision, with Tennessee becoming the first to split majority-Black districts in Memphis and eliminate its last Democratic-held congressional seat. The Georgia session will also address changes to ballots that would remove QR codes, an issue raised since the 2020 election.