Republican-led Redistricting Creates Voter Confusion in Southern States

Republican state officials are redrawing U.S. House districts in several Southern states while primary elections are underway, creating confusion for voters and logistical challenges for local election administrators. Thousands of Louisiana voters have already cast early ballots for congressional candidates in districts that could soon change.

Alabama's primaries are scheduled for May 19, but the state legislature passed legislation Friday allowing a potential do-over for U.S. House races. In Tennessee, a new congressional map has altered races that had been in progress for months. The redistricting follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision last month that weakened the Voting Rights Act.

The ruling required Louisiana to reconsider its 2024 map, which included two majority-Black districts that elected Black representatives. The Supreme Court decision also prompted Republican lawmakers in Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee to consider changes that could eliminate four Democratic-held districts, three currently represented by Black lawmakers.

Florida has adopted a new map designed to reduce Democratic seats from eight to four out of 28 total. In Louisiana, early voting for the Saturday primary began May 2. Two days earlier, the Republican governor declared an emergency and suspended congressional primaries to allow time for the new map.

Votes in the U.S. House races on those ballots will not be counted. >"I was supposed to believe a piece of paper with an X on it marking out the person I wanted to vote for," she said, her voice breaking as she recounted her experience later. " — Sallie Davis (ABC News) Sallie Davis, a 66-year-old New Orleans resident, voted early last week for Democratic U.S. Rep.

Troy Carter. A sign at her polling place crossed out his race with a ballpoint pen. A poll worker advised her to follow the sign, leaving her concerned that her ballot may not be counted. In Alabama, lawmakers approved a plan under which congressional primary votes on May 19 will use the current districts but may not be counted if courts approve a switch to new boundaries.

Mississippi held its primaries in March. A federal court has ordered redraws of state Supreme Court districts, and a special legislative session is scheduled for May 20 to consider congressional redistricting. Tennessee enacted its new map last week.

The state's elections coordinator previously warned county officials in a memo that the change would require reprogramming election systems, retraining poll workers and possibly adjusting precinct boundaries. Congressional primaries remain set for Aug.

6, and previously qualified candidates can run in new districts with the same number. In South Carolina, lawmakers are considering moving the June 9 primaries to August or shifting only the congressional races. More than 6,800 mail ballots had been sent to voters, with 260 returned, as of Friday.

The state Elections Commission executive director told lawmakers that holding a separate congressional primary would cost $3 million with compressed preparation time.

Michael McClanahan, president of the NAACP's Louisiana State Conference, said he has received calls from voters expressing confusion about whether an election is still occurring. Some have said they will not vote because they believe the governor suspended the entire election, though only the congressional portion was affected.

In Alabama, Senate Democratic leader Bobby Singleton reported receiving calls from public officials responsible for elections who are uncertain about procedures. Voting rights groups have pointed to a 2022 incident in Nashville, Tennessee, where more than 3,000 voters were assigned to incorrect districts and more than 430 cast ballots in the wrong races, according to a state report.

Matia Powell, executive director of Civic TN, said election commissions will face difficulty meeting the shortened timelines. Anneshia Hardy, executive director of Alabama Values, stated that frequent rule changes could reduce public trust in the process and lead to lower voter participation.

The redistricting effort originated from an initiative last year by President Donald Trump to protect the Republican majority in the U.S. House. Democrats pursued counter measures in California and Virginia, though the Virginia effort was blocked by courts.