Texas recently convened a rare midyear special session to redraw its congressional districts, aiming to consolidate Democratic-leaning areas and boost Republican prospects in the 2026 midterm elections. In response, California announced plans to pursue a similar mid-cycle redistricting effort – this time to expand Democratic representation and counterbalance Texas’s move.
Such mid-cycle redistricting remains highly unusual. Since 1970, only three states – Texas in 2003 and again this year, and Georgia in 2005 – have voluntarily redrawn maps between censuses for partisan gain, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis. By contrast, 36 of the 40 midcycle map changes over that period resulted from court orders (20) or direct judicial intervention (16).
Speculation is growing that other Republican- and Democratic-led states may attempt similar maneuvers, most likely through special sessions called by governors. While these sessions are typically confined to a single issue – here, redistricting – it is possible in some cases for additional matters to be taken up. As a result, even though most state legislatures have already wrapped up their regular business, states should remain alert. Midcycle redistricting pushes could trigger sudden and unexpected bursts of legislative activity.
