Louisiana, Virginia Advance Redistricting Efforts

The moves come after the Supreme Court on Monday cleared the path for state redrawing of congressional maps.

The Louisiana Capitol in Baton Rouge, La., on April 4, 2023. AP Photo/Stephen Smith, File

The Republican-majority Legislature in Louisiana and Democratic-majority one in Virginia greenlit initiatives that could make possible mid-decade changes to congressional districts on Wednesday, as states posture ahead of the 2026 mid-term elections to do what they can in shaping the future of the House of Representatives.

The efforts are part of a broader national contest for partisan gains amid calls from the White House to redraw boundaries not in line with the typical post-census cycle, as redistricting generally takes place once every 10 years after a census.

Louisiana lawmakers passed a bill along party lines in a special session to postpone the state’s 2026 congressional primary from April 18 to May 16. This change, which also pushes back candidate qualifying dates from Jan. 14–16 to Feb. 11–13, is pending the signature of Gov. Jeff Landry, who is expected to approve it.

The change buys the state time for potential map revisions, as officials anticipate a U.S. Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais that could override the current six-district configuration, which encompasses a second majority-Black district created to comply with the Voting Rights Act.

“Our Constitution prohibits the sorting of Americans into voting districts based on their skin [color],” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill wrote in an amicus brief for the case.

In Virginia, the House of Delegates supported a constitutional amendment proposal, House Joint Resolution 6007, which would allow lawmakers to go around a bipartisan commission and remake districts in response to similar redistricting efforts in other states.

“Two thirds of Virginians spoke loud and clear when they codified nonpartisan redistricting into our state Constitution five years ago,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, said in an X post on Oct. 23.

“12 days before our statewide elections, this is a shameless, reprehensible political power grab by Democrat lawmakers desperate for anything to distract from the disastrous Democrat Shutdown and Jay Jones’ demented comments and criminal investigation.”

Meanwhile, several Republican states, such as Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas, have implemented new maps.

In Indiana, Gov. Mike Brain has scheduled a special session for redistricting, though that could wind up postponed, as legislative leaders have signaled they are not ready, despite the governor urging an early start. State rules permit up to 40 days to finish proceedings.

California is the only Democratic state to propose a revised congressional map, which will go to voters during a special election on Nov. 4.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report