Redistricting in Louisiana ahead of the 2026 elections
Redistricting is the process of enacting new district boundaries for elected offices, particularly for offices in the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures. This article covers redistricting activity in Louisiana after the 2024 elections and before the 2026 elections.
Congressional districts
A group of voters filed a lawsuit on January 31, 2024, arguing that the 2024 map containing a second majority-Black congressional district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander and over-represents Black voters. On April 30, 2024, the district court agreed and enjoined the map's use in future elections. The state said it was "stuck in an endless game of ping-pong," having drawn the 2024 map after a federal district court struck down a 2022 version containing one majority-Black congressional district as a likely violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prevents the denial or limitation of voting rights based on race. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on March 24, 2025.[1] On June 27, 2025, the Court scheduled the case for reargument in its next term which began in October 2025.[2]
Legislative districts
A group of voters filed a lawsuit on March 14, 2022, arguing that the state legislative map drawn after the 2020 census violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black votes. On February 8, 2024, the district court agreed and ordered the state to draw a new state legislative map. The state appealed the case to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard oral argument on January 7, 2025.[3] On August 14, 2025, a panel of circuit court judges affirmed the district court ruling that found the legislative district boundaries were unconstitutional, though a redraw was stayed pending a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the congressional map challenge.[4]
This article documents redistricting in Louisiana ahead of the 2026 elections. To read about redistricting in Louisiana after the 2020 census, click here.
- Louisiana redistrictingLouisiana's congressional and state legislative redistricting
- Court challengesLitigation over redistricting
- National contextRedistricting in other states ahead of the 2026 elections
Redistricting in Louisiana ahead of the 2026 elections
This section contains information about redistricting in Louisiana ahead of the 2026 elections. Click a tab below to read about congressional or state legislative district boundaries.
On May 15, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked an April 30 ruling by the U.S. District Court for Western Louisiana striking down the state's congressional map. As a result, the map was used for Louisiana’s 2024 congressional elections.[5]
On November 4, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Louisiana v. Callais (formerly Callais v. Landry) consolidated with Robinson v. Callais — two appeals from the U.S. District Court for Western Louisiana decision that struck down the state's new congressional map. The Court noted probable jurisdiction and allotted one hour for oral argument.[6][7] The Court first heard oral arguments in the case on March 24, 2025.[8]
On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court scheduled Louisiana v. Callais for reargument in its next term.[9] In August 2025, the Court scheduled arguments for October 15, 2025.[10] The Court had not ruled in the case by the end of 2025, meaning the state would not have time to draw a new map before the 2026 midterm elections, leaving the existing map in place.[11]
Comparison of old and new congressional map
The map below reflects Louisiana's current congressional boundaries, enacted on January 22, 2024. If a new map is issued, this section will show a comparison of the old and new map.
Timeline of mid-decade redistricting in Louisiana
The timeline below tracks Louisiana redistricting updates ahead of the 2026 elections, including map proposal and approval and major court filings. For more information about litigation over the new congressional map, click here.
- August 13, 2025
The U.S. Supreme Court scheduled Callais for argument on October 15, 2025.
Court challenges
- If you are aware of any relevant lawsuits that are not listed here, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.
As of January 28, 2026, no new state legislative or congressional district boundaries had taken effect in Louisiana ahead of the 2026 elections.
To read about litigation over the map passed after the 2020 census, click here.
National overview
As of February 2026, six states had congressional district maps that were subject to change before the 2026 elections, and six states—California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Utah—had new congressional maps. Three states were reportedly exploring voluntary redistricting, and three states had congressional maps that were subject to change due to litigation. Before 2025, only two states had conducted voluntary mid-decade redistricting since 1970.[16]
The map below shows redistricting activity between the 2024 and 2026 elections.
The table below shows redistricting activity between the 2024 and 2026 elections as well as the pre-redistricting U.S. House delegation in each state.
| State | Reason for redistricting | Status | Method of redistricting | U.S. House delegation before redistricting | Potential result of new maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New map enacted | |||||
| California | Voluntary redistricting | Voters approved the use of a new map on Nov. 4, 2025. | Commission | 43 D - 9 R | +5 D |
| Missouri | Voluntary redistricting | Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed new map into law on Sept. 28, 2025. | Legislature-dominant | 6 R - 2 D | +1 R |
| North Carolina | Voluntary redistricting | Legislature passed new map into law on Oct. 22, 2025 | Legislature-dominant | 10 R - 4 D | +1 R |
| Ohio | Required by law to redistrict | Redistricting commission approved a new map on Oct. 31, 2025 | Legislature-dominant | 10 R -5 D | +2 R |
| Texas | Voluntary redistricting | U.S. Supreme Court ruled the new Texas map could be used in 2026 | Legislature-dominant | 25 R -12 D with 1 vacancy | +5 R |
| Utah | Changed due to litigation | Court approved new plaintiff-submitted map | Legislature-dominant | 4 R - 0 D | +1 D |
| Net | +3 R | ||||
| New map possible | |||||
| Florida | Voluntary redistricting | Special session to occur April 2026 | Legislature-dominant | 20 R - 8 D | - |
| Georgia | Subject to change due to litigation | Litigation ongoing | Legislature-dominant | 9 R - 5 D | - |
| Louisiana | Subject to change due to litigation | Litigation ongoing | Legislature-dominant | 4 R - 2 D | - |
| Maryland | Voluntary redistricting | House approved new map | Legislature-dominant | 7 D - 1 R | - |
| New York | Subject to change due to litigation | Litigation ongoing | Hybrid | 19 D - 7 R | - |
| Virginia | Voluntary redistricting | Litigation ongoing over constitutional amendment to allow redistricting | Hybrid | 6 D - 5 R | - |
See also
- Redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections
- Redistricting in Louisiana
- State-by-state redistricting procedures
- Majority-minority districts
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- All About Redistricting
- Dave's Redistricting
- FiveThirtyEight, "What Redistricting Looks Like In Every State"
- National Conference of State Legislatures, "Redistricting Process"
- FairVote, "Redistricting"
Footnotes
- ↑ NBC News, "Supreme Court wrestles with Louisiana racial gerrymandering claim," March 24, 2025
- ↑ Louisiana Illuminator, "U.S. Supreme Court punts Louisiana redistricting case to next term," June 27, 2025
- ↑ United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit Office of the Clerk, "Scheduling Notice," October 23, 2024
- ↑ Louisiana Illuminator, "Louisiana’s legislative maps violate Voting Rights Act, 5th Circuit rules," August 14, 2025
- ↑ SCOTUSblog, "Court allows Louisiana to move forward with two majority-Black districts," May 15, 2024
- ↑ SCOTUSblog, "Supreme Court will hear case on second majority-Black district in Louisiana redistricting," November 4, 2024
- ↑ The American Redistricting Project, "Louisiana v. Callais," November 4, 2024
- ↑ NBC News, "Supreme Court wrestles with Louisiana racial gerrymandering claim," March 24, 2025
- ↑ Louisiana Illuminator, "U.S. Supreme Court punts Louisiana redistricting case to next term," June 27, 2025
- ↑ Louisiana Illuminator, "U.S. Supreme Court sets date for Louisiana redistricting case rehearing," August 13, 2025
- ↑ Louisiana Illuminator, "Louisiana will use challenged congressional map after Supreme Court declines to expedite ruling," January 2, 2026
- ↑ American Redistricting Project, "Nairne v. Landry," accessed November 20, 2024
- ↑ NOLA.com. "Louisiana must redraw its legislative districts, federal judge rules. Here's why." February 8, 2024
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Twitter. "RedistrictNet," February 8, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "Redistricting between censuses has been rare in the modern era," August 28, 2025
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