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.”
An uncertain political future after redsitricting
CBS News Political Director Fin Gómez said that Kemp’s move comes as other Republican-led Southern states that are reconsidering or redrawing their congressional maps to add more seats seen as friendly to the GOP in order to stave off possible losses during the midterm elections.
“Looking ahead to 2028, and because the majority of Republicans support these measures according to the latest polls, Brian Kemp, who might be considering other offices perhaps during the 2028 cycle – this might be something that could help him politically in the state, and also if he were to have any higher national aspirations,” Gomez said.
With Georgia becoming a crucial state in recent elections, the changing maps could be a gamble for Republican leaders, he said.
“Georgia has become increasingly a purple state. It is a top battleground state, a crucial one, every single presidential cycle now. And so looking ahead to 2028, when this redraw would potentially happen, you could see this used politically by Democrats to say, and to really expand on their argument,” Gomez said.
A partisan move like this redistricting appears to be could draw backlash from the other side of the political aisle, which could mean a push for more turnout in upcoming elections.
