Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Rules Out Primary Cancellation, Signals Redistricting Delay After Supreme Court Ruling

Governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia’s May 19, 2026 primary will proceed as scheduled and that new congressional and legislative maps will not be imposed for the 2026 midterms. Any redistricting will target the 2028 election cycle.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In late April, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in *Louisiana v. Callais*, weakening a core provision of the Voting Rights Act. The ruling has sparked nationwide debate, with progressives labeling it racially discriminatory. Georgia, once a reliably Republican state, now functions as a swing state: its two U.S. senators are Democrats, while the governor is a Republican. In the 2024 presidential contest, Donald Trump won Georgia by a 2 percent margin over Kamala Harris, underscoring the state’s electoral volatility.

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Delaying redistricting preserves the status quo for the 2026 midterms while allowing the GOP to shape maps before a potentially Democratic governor assumes office. The decision could affect partisan balance in congressional delegations and state legislatures for the next decade.

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Kemp said that voting for the 2026 elections is already in progress and that the Supreme Court’s decision allows states to draw electoral maps without federal judicial intervention. He added that any new maps will be needed for the 2028 cycle. Senator Raphael Warnock characterized the ruling as reminiscent of the Jim Crow era, expressing concerns about its impact on racial equity.

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Progressive groups and Democratic lawmakers have condemned the decision as a step toward disenfranchisement, equating it with historic segregation policies. They argue that the weakened Voting Rights Act removes essential federal oversight of state redistricting.

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• “Make no mistake: this ruling harkens back to the darkest days of the Jim Crow era.” — Raphael Warnock, U.S. Senator (D-Georgia)

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• “Voting is already underway for the 2026 elections. But it's clear that Callais requires Georgia to adopt new electoral maps before the 2028 election cycle.” — Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia

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• “Callais 'restores fairness to our redistricting process and allows states to pass electoral maps that reflect the will of the voters, not the will of federal judges,'" Bluestein reports.” — Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia

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• “won't cancel Georgia’s May 19 primary or rush to impose new political maps on this year's elections after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened a key pillar of the Voting Rights Act.” — Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia

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Kemp may summon legislators to Atlanta before his term ends in January 2027 to draft new maps for the 2028 elections. State officials and advocacy groups are expected to file legal challenges and policy proposals as the redistricting timeline solidifies.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution