Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta Condemns Gov. Kemp’s Call for Special Redistricting Session
May 14, 2026
CONTACT INFORMATION
James Woo, Communications Director, Media@advancingjustice-atlanta.org
Following Governor Kemp’s announcement calling for a special session on redistricting in light of the Supreme Court’s Louisiana vs. Callais ruling, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta (Advancing Justice-Atlanta) releases the following statement:
On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana vs. Callais fundamentally weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, creating a dangerous pathway for states to dismantle racial majority-minority districts. We have already seen the fallout in states like Tennessee, where the lawmakers carved the map to eliminate the state’s only majority-minority congressional district, leaving the entire state represented by only one party in Congress. Now, Governor Kemp is following this precedent, calling an emergency special session to redraw Georgia’s maps just months before the 2026 elections. Although the map wouldn’t take effect until 2028, this move suggests a calculated attempt to preemptively suppress a growing, diverse electorate in anticipation of the consequential 2026 midterm elections.
Advancing Justice-Atlanta strongly opposes Governor Kemp’s decision to call a special redistricting session. Under the current climate, this appears to be an extraordinary attempt to likely further devastate the political power of communities of color across Georgia.
“Redistricting is being used across the South to take away the voices of Black voters and weaken their electoral representation, and we denounce any use of our communities to impact the voices of Black voters.” Said Jennifer Lee, Policy Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta. “Now, because of the Supreme Court’s ruling, redistricting efforts are being used to suppress the progress and voices of communities”.
This session is a threat to fair representation. Advancing Justice-Atlanta will continue to organize and mobilize to fight back against attacks on our voting rights. We demand free and fair maps that reflect the strength of our multi-racial democracy.
Reference
Gov. Kemp Calls Special session to redraw 2028 maps, Overhaul Voting Process.
Messaging guide:
Toolkit: Louisiana v. Callais Ruling
Georgia presaged this by crackingAAPI communities across multiple districts in Gwinnett County after the 2010 census, anticipating a rising bloc of opportunity voters.
The Republican regime at work isaware that they only have blunt tools at their disposal, given the November 2025 election results. From Mississippi to Georgia, Democrats flipped seats and made history, particularly among communities of color who have been disproportionately impacted by this regime’s actions.
Georgia: 20 fewer Democratic seats and 26 fewer Black- or Hispanic-majority districts.
CURRENT (Dem-GOP):
Senate: 23-33
House: 80-100
PROJECTED (Dem-GOP):
Senate: 17-39
House: 66-114
Changes to Georgia's map are less likely to force Democrats into a superminority in the House and Senate, but a redraw could likely close the eventual path to a majority in either chamber.
Georgia: Democrats flipped two statewide Public Service Commission seats – the first non-federal statewide wins in nearly 20 years – even winning counties where Republicans usually get 60% of the vote.
Historical context:
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), and other marginalized communities in Georgia and the Southeast.
