The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 27, 2026
States conducting mid-decade redistricting racked up big bills for the special sessions, special elections, delayed congressional primaries, infrastructure changes, and extra labor. And it’s taxpayers, not those doing the gerrymandering, who will foot the bill.
KXTV Sacramento reports that California’s November 2025 special election allowing the legislature to redistrict cost the taxpayers $282 million dollars, mostly in aid to counties to cover the costs.
South Carolina had not yet approved its new congressional map by the time state primary ballots were mailed. The South Carolina Daily Gazette reports taxpayers face costs of up to $6 million dollars to run a second congressional primary. One estimate for Louisiana’s to be determined congressional primary was $8 million dollars.
Although Tennessee didn’t delay its primary, Fox Nashville reports the legislature appropriated $3.1 million dollars to cover the costs of the special session to redistrict, reimburse counties for election worker time, making IT changes to databases and websites, and re-mail now obsolete voter registration cards.
Center Square reports that Alabama’s August 11th delayed congressional primary will cost Alabamians an estimated $4.45 million dollars. For Virginia’s April referendum to authorize redistricting, the legislature appropriated $5 million dollars, not including costs for county staff time. Money wasted after the state supreme court later invalidated the referendum as unconstitutional.
We’ve linked to local reporting AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
KXTV Sacramento – Price tag for California’s redistricting special election comes to $282M
Center Square – Analysts: Redistricting to cost taxpayers, while slowly shifting election outcomes
Fox Nashville – Lawmakers debate $3.1M redistricting cost as Tennessee special session moves quickly
South Carolina Daily Gazette – Bill redrawing SC congressional voting lines advances in Senate as cost estimates double
Votebeat – Two reminders that the rules of the 2026 election are still in flux
WSET ABC 13 – How much money did Virginia taxpayers pay for the redistricting vote?
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – The Redistricting Arms Race was Fueled by Hundreds of Millions in Super PAC and 501C4 Dark Money from Both Sides in Virginia and California
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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