Trending Now - Election Turmoil: GOP Redistricting Sparks Voter Confusion

WHO:

ABC News - Republican state officials, local election officials, President Trump, Louisiana's Republican governor Jeff Landry, Democratic U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, New Orleans resident Sallie Davis, Alabama Senate Democratic leader Bobby Singleton, Michael McClanahan (NAACP), Rep. Cleo Fields, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett, and Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen.

WHAT:

ABC News - The Supreme Court's decision last month required Louisiana to reconsider a map drawn in 2024 with two majority minority congressional districts that elected Black representatives.

ABC News - The GOP-controlled Legislature in Louisiana could eliminate one or both majority minority districts in a state where roughly 30% of the population is Black.

ABC News - A special session of Mississippi's Legislature is set for May 20 to address congressional district redrawing.

ABC News - Tennessee's elections coordinator informed county officials that the new map would require reprogramming election systems, retraining poll workers, and possibly adjusting precinct boundaries.

ABC News - In South Carolina, lawmakers could move all the state's June 9 primaries to August, or just the congressional races, with holding a separate election for congressional primaries estimated to cost $3 million.

ABC News - Tennessee's congressional primaries are still scheduled for August 6, and candidates have until Friday to qualify for the ballot.

ABC News - Louisiana's Republican governor Jeff Landry stated that nearly 179,000 primary ballots had been cast as of Friday, including about 53,000 absentee ballots returned by mail, but votes in U.S. House races won't be counted.

AP News - Alabama lawmakers passed legislation allowing a do-over of congressional primaries, with voting scheduled for May 19 using the old districts.

AP News - A special session of Mississippi's Legislature is set for May 20 to address congressional district redrawing.

AP News - In South Carolina, lawmakers could move all the state's June 9 primaries to August, or just the congressional races, with holding a separate election for congressional primaries estimated to cost $3 million.

AP News - Tennessee's congressional primaries are still scheduled for August 6, and candidates have until Friday to qualify for the ballot.

ABC News - Louisiana's Republican governor declared a state of emergency and suspended congressional primaries to allow lawmakers to draw a new map, leading to confusion among voters.

AP News - A special session of Mississippi's Legislature is set for May 20 to address congressional district redrawing.

AP News - In South Carolina, lawmakers could move all the state's June 9 primaries to August, or just the congressional races.

AP News - Holding a separate election for congressional primaries in South Carolina would cost $3 million.

AP News - Tennessee's congressional primaries are still scheduled for August 6, and candidates have until Friday to qualify for the ballot.

AP News - A federal court has ordered Mississippi to redraw its state Supreme Court districts.

AP News - Tennessee's elections coordinator informed county officials that the new map would require reprogramming election systems, retraining poll workers, and possibly adjusting precinct boundaries.

AP News - In South Carolina, more than 6,800 mail ballots had been sent to voters — with 260 returned — as of Friday.

AP News - Voting rights activists see problems that arose in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2022, when Republican legislators divided the state's capital city into three congressional districts to take a seat from Democrats.

AP News - A state report said more than 3,000 Nashville-area voters were assigned to incorrect districts and more than 430 cast ballots in the wrong races in the November 2022 election.

AP News - Anneshia Hardy, executive director of Alabama Values, stated that if people stop believing that the process is stable and fair, disengagement in elections will increase.

AP News - At least a few Democratic voters protested the gerrymandering at the Louisiana Capitol, expressing doubt about their political voice.

AP News - David Victorian, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran from Baton Rouge, expressed concern for the survival of democracy in the state.

AP News - Alabama lawmakers passed legislation allowing a do-over of congressional primaries, with voting scheduled for May 19 using the old districts.

AP News - A special session of Mississippi's Legislature is set for May 20 to address congressional district redrawing.

AP News - Tennessee's congressional primaries are still scheduled for August 6, and candidates have until Friday to qualify for the ballot.

AP News - In South Carolina, lawmakers could move all the state's June 9 primaries to August, or just the congressional races.

AP News - Holding a separate election for congressional primaries in South Carolina would cost $3 million.

ABC News - Louisiana's Republican governor declared a state of emergency and suspended congressional primaries to allow lawmakers to draw a new map, leading to confusion among voters.

AP News - Nearly 179,000 primary ballots had been cast in Louisiana, including about 53,000 absentee ballots returned by mail, but votes in U.S. House races won't be counted.

AP News - Alabama lawmakers passed legislation allowing a do-over of congressional primaries, with voting scheduled for May 19 using the old districts.

AP News - A special session of Mississippi's Legislature is set for May 20 to address congressional district redrawing.

AP News - Tennessee's congressional primaries are still scheduled for August 6, and candidates have until Friday to qualify for the ballot.

Yahoo - Tennessee Republicans are pushing to remove the requirement that voters be notified when their assigned polling places change, which may lead to confusion and prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots.

ABC News - Alabama lawmakers passed legislation allowing a do-over of congressional primaries, with voting in congressional races scheduled for May 19, but using the old districts.

ABC News - A special session of Mississippi's Legislature is set for May 20 to address congressional district redrawing.

Yahoo - The new law in Tennessee eliminates the requirement for county election commissioners to notify voters immediately about changes to polling places, now only requiring posting on official websites.

ABC News - Alabama lawmakers passed legislation allowing a do-over of congressional primaries.

ABC News - Alabama's primary is scheduled for May 19, and voting in congressional races will occur then as planned, but with the old districts.

ABC News - A special session of Mississippi's Legislature is set for May 20 to address congressional district redrawing.

ABC News - Tennessee's congressional primaries are still scheduled for August 6, and candidates have until Friday to qualify for the ballot.

Mediaite - Tennessee's new redistricting map was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee, favoring Republicans in all nine districts.

ABC News - Republican officials are redrawing U.S. House seats, causing confusion among voters and logistical issues for election officials.

ABC News - Nearly 179,000 primary ballots had been cast in Louisiana, including about 53,000 absentee ballots returned by mail.

CBS News - The Supreme Court found a congressional map in Louisiana unconstitutional, stating it relied too heavily on race.

Mediaite - Tennessee's new redistricting map favors Republicans and divides the majority-Black district that includes Memphis.

WHERE:

AP News - Renovations of the House chamber in Mississippi will force members to meet at the Old State Capitol, where Jim Crow laws were passed decades ago.

Yahoo - The changes in Tennessee particularly affect areas such as Memphis, which is being divided among three different congressional districts.

ABC News - Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee.

CBS News - Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Shreveport, Louisiana.

Mediaite - Tennessee.

WHEN:

ABC News - Louisiana's primary is scheduled for Saturday; Alabama's primary is on May 19; Tennessee's congressional primaries are set for August 6.

CBS News - The Supreme Court decision occurred 11 days prior to the article's publication.

WHY:

ABC News - Republicans justified pursuing new maps by saying that electing more Republicans would better reflect their states' conservative values.

AP News - Republicans justified pursuing new maps by saying that electing more Republicans would better reflect their states' conservative values.

AP News - Critics argue that the notification change in Tennessee is likely tied to cost-saving measures, as it reduces the expenses associated with mailing notifications to voters.

AP News - Republicans justified pursuing new maps by saying that electing more Republicans would better reflect their states' conservative values.

Yahoo - Critics argue that the notification change in Tennessee is likely tied to cost-saving measures, as it reduces the expenses associated with mailing notifications to voters.

ABC News - The redistricting efforts are a response to a Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act, prompting Republicans to redraw maps to protect their majority.

CBS News - The Supreme Court ruling declared the congressional map unconstitutional due to excessive reliance on race.

HOW:

ABC News - The changes in Tennessee will require reprogramming election systems, retraining poll workers, and possibly adjusting precinct boundaries, meaning some voters’ polling places could change.

ABC News - Louisiana's Republican governor declared a state of emergency and suspended congressional primaries to allow lawmakers to draw a new map.

Mediaite - Tennessee's GOP gerrymander map was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee, favoring Republicans in all nine districts.

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 11:35 UTC)

The Supreme Court's recent decision has prompted Louisiana to reconsider its congressional district map, which currently includes two majority minority districts that elected Black representatives. Meanwhile, a special session of Mississippi's Legislature is scheduled for May 20 to address redistricting, while Tennessee's elections coordinator has indicated that changes to the congressional map will necessitate reprogramming election systems and retraining poll workers. In South Carolina, lawmakers are contemplating moving the state's primaries from June 9 to August, with the potential cost of a separate election for congressional primaries estimated at $3 million.

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 07:49 UTC)

In Louisiana, Governor Jeff Landry announced that nearly 179,000 primary ballots have been cast, including about 53,000 absentee ballots returned by mail, although votes in U.S. House races will not be counted. Meanwhile, Alabama lawmakers have passed legislation for a do-over of congressional primaries, set for May 19, while Mississippi's Legislature will hold a special session on May 20 to address congressional district redrawing. In South Carolina, lawmakers are considering moving all primaries originally scheduled for June 9 to August, which could incur an estimated cost of $3 million for a separate congressional primary election.

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 06:01 UTC)

Louisiana's Republican governor has declared a state of emergency and suspended congressional primaries to allow lawmakers to redraw the district map, creating confusion among voters. Meanwhile, Mississippi's Legislature is set to hold a special session on May 20 to address similar redistricting issues, while South Carolina lawmakers are considering moving all primaries from June 9 to August, which could cost the state $3 million if a separate election is held. In Tennessee, congressional primaries remain scheduled for August 6, but the new map will require significant adjustments to election systems and training for poll workers, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

(UPDATED May 11, 2026 23:16 UTC)

Alabama lawmakers have passed legislation allowing a do-over of congressional primaries, with voting set for May 19 using the old districts. Meanwhile, Mississippi's Legislature will hold a special session on May 20 to address congressional district redrawing, while Tennessee's primaries remain on track for August 6, with candidates needing to qualify by this Friday. In South Carolina, lawmakers are considering moving all June 9 primaries to August, which could cost the state $3 million for a separate election for congressional races.

(UPDATED May 11, 2026 21:21 UTC)

In Louisiana, the Republican governor has declared a state of emergency and suspended congressional primaries to allow lawmakers to redraw district maps, creating confusion for voters who have already cast nearly 179,000 ballots, including about 53,000 absentee votes that won't be counted. Meanwhile, Alabama lawmakers have approved a do-over for congressional primaries, scheduled for May 19, while Mississippi's Legislature will hold a special session on May 20 to address similar redistricting issues. In Tennessee, congressional primaries remain set for August 6, but there are concerns about proposed changes that could prevent voters from being notified of polling place changes, all while the state's elections coordinator prepares for necessary adjustments to election systems.

(UPDATED May 11, 2026 19:28 UTC)

Alabama lawmakers have passed legislation allowing a do-over of congressional primaries, with voting scheduled for May 19 using the old districts. Meanwhile, Mississippi's Legislature will hold a special session on May 20 to address congressional district redrawing, while in Tennessee, Republicans are pushing to eliminate the requirement for notifying voters about changes to polling places, which critics say could lead to confusion and disenfranchisement. This new law in Tennessee only mandates that changes be posted on official websites, a move some believe is aimed at cutting costs associated with mailing notifications to voters.

(UPDATED May 11, 2026 13:51 UTC)

Alabama lawmakers have passed legislation allowing a do-over of congressional primaries, which are still set to take place on May 19 using the old districts. Meanwhile, a special session of Mississippi's Legislature is scheduled for May 20 to address the redrawing of congressional districts, while Tennessee's primaries remain on track for August 6, with candidates needing to qualify for the ballot by Friday. Tennessee's new redistricting map, recently signed into law by Governor Bill Lee, is expected to favor Republicans in all nine districts, but the elections coordinator has warned that implementing this new map will require significant adjustments to election systems and training for poll workers.

(UPDATED May 11, 2026 11:55 UTC)

Republican officials are currently redrawing U.S. House seats in Louisiana and Tennessee, a move that has sparked confusion among voters and logistical challenges for election officials. In Louisiana, nearly 179,000 primary ballots have already been cast, with the state's primary scheduled for Saturday, while Alabama's primary is set for May 19 and Tennessee's congressional primaries will take place on August 6. This redistricting follows a Supreme Court ruling that deemed Louisiana's previous congressional map unconstitutional for relying too heavily on race, prompting the state's Republican governor to declare a state of emergency to facilitate the drawing of a new map.