Republicans are rushing to redraw congressional districts across several Southern states after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling severely weakened the Voting Rights Act, creating confusion for voters and logistical challenges for election officials during an active primary season that could determine control of the U.S. House.
The changes affect Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida. The Supreme Court's decision last month required states to reconsider maps with majority-minority districts that elected Black representatives, prompting GOP-controlled legislatures to pursue new district boundaries.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans in affected states have defended their efforts, saying that electing more Republicans would better reflect their states' conservative values. GOP-controlled legislatures argue the new maps comply with the Supreme Court's ruling and state law.
In Louisiana, Republican Secretary of State Nancy Landry's office confirmed that nearly 179,000 primary ballots had been cast as of Friday, including about 53,000 absentee ballots returned by mail. Her office said votes in U.S. House races on those ballots won't be counted once new districts are finalized.
Alabama lawmakers passed legislation Friday allowing a do-over of congressional primaries if the state adopts new district boundaries. Alabama's primary is scheduled for May 19, and voting will proceed as planned with old districts initially, though those votes would not count if courts approve a switch to different maps.
Tennessee was the first state to enact a new map since the Supreme Court ruling. The state's elections coordinator notified county officials that implementing the changes would require reprogramming election systems, retraining poll workers, and possibly adjusting precinct boundaries.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers and voting rights advocates say the rushed redistricting efforts amount to voter suppression. Amir Badat, a Jackson, Mississippi, voting rights attorney, called it "modern-day voter suppression" that relies on "election administration errors and chaos."
Michael McClanahan, president of the NAACP's Louisiana State Conference, said voters are experiencing "total confusion," with many calling to ask whether an election is even happening. "People say, 'I ain't going to vote because the governor's suspended the election.' But he didn't, he only suspended one aspect of it," McClanahan said.
Alabama Senate Democratic Leader Bobby Singleton said he has fielded calls from public officials who are also confused about how to proceed. "These are the people who are the head of elections," he said. "They don't know what to do."
Anneshia Hardy, executive director of Alabama Values, warned that frequent rule changes could erode trust in democracy. "Once people stop believing that the process is stable and fair, disengagement is going to increase, and that's one of the biggest dangers here," she said. "Democracy doesn't just depend on voting systems existing but really on people believing that their participation matters."
Matia Powell, executive director of the voting rights nonprofit Civic TN, expressed concern about compressed timelines for election commissions. "It's going to be really hard for the election commissions to be able to keep up with this short timeline," she said.
What the Numbers Show
In Louisiana, approximately 179,000 primary ballots had been cast as of Friday, with roughly 53,000 returned by mail. These ballots included U.S. House races, but those votes will not be counted once new districts take effect.
Louisiana's population is roughly 30% Black, yet the state previously drew two majority-minority congressional districts that elected Black representatives. The GOP-controlled Legislature could eliminate one or both under the revised maps.
In South Carolina, more than 6,800 mail ballots had already been sent to voters as of Friday, with 260 returned. State Elections Commission Executive Director Conway Belangia told lawmakers that holding a separate election for congressional primaries would cost $3 million.
In Tennessee's 2022 elections, a state report found more than 3,000 Nashville-area voters were assigned to incorrect districts and more than 430 cast ballots in wrong races after Republican legislators divided the state's capital city into three congressional districts.
Florida has a new map designed to reduce Democratic seats from eight to four out of 28 total House seats.
The Bottom Line
The scramble to redraw congressional maps mid-election cycle highlights the practical consequences of the Supreme Court's decision on the Voting Rights Act. Election officials in multiple states face compressed timelines for reprogramming systems, retraining staff, and communicating changes to voters.
For voters like Sallie Davis, a 66-year-old New Orleans resident who cast an early ballot last week, confusion persists about whether her vote will count. A sign at her polling booth crossed off the congressional candidate she intended to vote for with a pen. "I think I have been disenfranchised," she said.
What's next: Louisiana's primary is scheduled for Saturday. Tennessee's congressional primaries remain set for August 6, though candidates must requalify by Friday for new districts. Alabama could face a do-over of its May 19 congressional primaries if courts approve the new map. Mississippi's Legislature is set to convene May 20 to consider redrawing its four congressional districts.