Election 2026 Redistricting

Republicans have gained an advantage in a national congressional redistricting battle among states ahead of the midterm elections. A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the federal Voting Rights Act has opened the way for Republicans in Southern states to redraw Black-majority districts. Meanwhile, the Virginia Supreme Court has struck down a redistricting plan that could have helped Democrats win more seats. Voting districts typically are redrawn based on census data after the start of each decade. But an unusual spate of mid-decade redistricting broke out after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans to reshape U.S. House districts last year. More states have followed.

Alabama lawmakers have approved a plan for new U.S. House primaries if courts allow the state to use different congressional districts in this year’s elections. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the measure into law Friday shortly after the legislature approved it. The action came on the same day that the Virginia Supreme Court dealt a major setback to Democrats by overturning a redistricting plan that could have helped Democrats win as many as four additional House seats. The Alabama law could set aside the results of the May 19 primaries, if courts lift an injunction requiring it to use a map with two districts that have large Black populations.