Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp calls special legislative session to redraw electoral maps after Supreme Court ruling
Politics – CBSNews.com — 2026-05-13 13:48:00 — www.cbsnews.com
Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday signed a proclamation convening the Georgia General Assembly for a special session on June 17 to address redistricting in the wake of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected to require changes to Georgia’s electoral maps before the 2028 election cycle. The special session comes six weeks after the Supreme Court issued its 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais on April 29, 2026, finding that Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district relied too heavily on race in its construction and was therefore an unconstitutional gerrymander. The regular session of the 2026 General Assembly had adjourned on April 3, making a special session necessary to take up the redistricting work.
According to the proclamation, lawmakers will be limited to two specific purposes during the special session. The first is to consider enacting, revising, repealing, or amending state law for the division of Georgia into appropriate districts for the State Senate, State House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives, or any other state office elected by district, with any changes set to take effect for the 2028 election cycle. The second purpose is to address issues created by a July 1 effective date for changes to the state election code enacted under a 2024 Georgia law. 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. Following 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. Not everyone welcomed the development.
Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock called the Supreme Court ruling that triggered the special session “a profound defeat for American democracy,” saying it would pave the way for partisan politicians to pick their voters. Rep. Nikema Williams, who represents parts of metro Atlanta, called it “another step away from the promise of equal representation.”
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In summary, the special session called by Gov. Kemp reflects a significant response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on redistricting, emphasizing the need for new electoral maps in Georgia. The reactions from both Republican and Democratic leaders highlight the contentious nature of redistricting and its implications for representation in the state.