Kemp: No Georgia Map Changes for 2026, Redistricting in '28

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Friday that the state's electoral maps will remain unchanged for the 2026 elections despite a recent Supreme Court ruling on redistricting, citing the advanced stage of the election cycle.

"Voting is already underway for the 2026 elections," Kemp said, adding that changes to district lines would not be possible this year.

Kemp's remarks come after the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which he said restores authority to states to draw electoral maps. While the ruling will not affect Georgia in the near term, the governor acknowledged it will require changes ahead of the next cycle.

"It's clear that Callais requires Georgia to adopt new electoral maps before the 2028 election cycle," Kemp said.

The ruling addresses how states can draw congressional and legislative districts and is expected to have wide-ranging implications across the country. Kemp framed the decision as a shift away from federal court oversight.

"The Supreme Court's decision [in] Louisiana v. Callais 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," he said.

Redistricting typically follows the decennial U.S. Census, but court rulings and legal challenges can trigger revisions between cycles.

Election officials generally avoid altering district boundaries once voting preparations are underway, citing logistical and legal constraints. Kemp's comments underscore those limitations, even as the broader legal landscape shifts.

States across the country are reviewing the ruling's impact, particularly those involved in ongoing disputes over district maps. Changes stemming from the decision could affect political representation at both the state and federal levels, depending on how new maps are drawn.

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