The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 15, 2026
Like a stubborn, arson-ignited wildfire, partisan gerrymandering keeps flaring up. South Carolina will apparently redistrict after all, after its governor signaled he would call a special session. A special session has been called in Georgia, and legislation stalled in Maryland may rekindle as well.
First to South Carolina, where we had reported the Senate blocked more partisan redistricting by failing to get a two-thirds vote to extend the session. The South Carolina Daily Gazette reports that Governor Henry McMaster informed legislative leaders he would call a special session, which does not need the two-thirds vote, to redistrict by May 26th.
After initially resisting calls to redistrict, May 13th, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp called a special session of the legislature for June 17th to redraw congressional districts for 2028, saying he had “no choice” after the Supreme Court’s Callais decision. While it won’t affect the midterm, it could dismember as many as five Black majority-minority districts before the 2028 election.
NOTUS reports multiple sources confirm Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, who previously helped to block redistricting, may be preparing to rekindle the redrawing of Maryland’s Congressional Districts. NOTUS also quotes New Jersey’s Senate president as “Taking a real hard look” at redistricting.
We’ve linked the local reporting and more on this gerrymandering firefight at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org, I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
South Carolina Daily Gazette – SC legislators expect to return for special session on redrawing voting lines
Georgia Recorder – Kemp calls June special session to address redistricting, ballot QR codes in Georgia
CBS Atlanta – Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp calls special legislative session to redraw congressional map after Supreme Court ruling
NOTUS – Maryland Looks Into Drawing Its One House Republican Out of His Seat
BallotPedia – Redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – SC Senate Derails Redistricting of Congressional Map; MO Supreme Court Finds Map Eliminating Majority Black Kansas City District Constitutional
American Democracy Minute – Democrats in Virginia & Maryland Race to Match GOP-Gerrymandered Congressional Seats, But It’s Far From a Done Deal.
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U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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