Photo: Alamy
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signaled Wednesday that his state is entering the growing national fight over congressional redistricting by calling a special legislative session to redraw electoral maps.
Kemp signed a proclamation convening a special session of the Georgia General Assembly beginning June 17, following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected to force changes to Georgia’s congressional districts before the 2028 elections.
Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that Louisiana’s second majority-black congressional district relied too heavily on race and therefore constituted an unconstitutional gerrymander.
“The Supreme Court decision is clear,” said Josh McKoon, Georgia Republican Party Chairman. “That we can’t have these racially gerrymandered maps anymore. They’re illegal.”
The Georgia Freedom Caucus also supported the efforts.
“Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has called for a special session to redraw Georgia’s congressional and legislative maps. Furthermore, the proclamation allows for the enactment of much-needed election law reform. We must not let this opportunity go to waste. The time is NOW to scrap the machines and go to paper ballots. The time is NOW to end racial gerrymandering and provide Georgians with fair electoral maps,” the group posted to X.
Under Kemp’s proclamation, lawmakers will be limited to addressing two issues during the special session.
The first involves considering legislation to enact, revise, repeal or amend state laws governing district boundaries for the Georgia State Senate, Georgia House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives and other district-based elected offices.
The second issue concerns adjustments tied to a July 1 implementation date for revisions to Georgia’s election code approved under a 2024 state law.
The anticipated redistricting changes are not expected to affect the 2026 midterm elections because early voting for Georgia’s primary elections is already underway, with regular voting scheduled for next week.