politics

февраль 19, 2026

Tracking states’ unprecedented redistricting efforts

President Donald Trump and Republicans have launched an unprecedented effort to redraw state congressional maps to help protect the party’s narrow majority in the House ahead of the midterm elections in November.

President Donald Trump and Republicans have launched an unprecedented effort to redraw state congressional maps to help protect the party’s narrow majority in the House ahead of the midterm elections in November.

Democrats have responded with redistricting efforts of their own, setting off a series of fights across the country — including in the courts — which will shape the midterm landscape and help determine control of Congress.

Most recently, the Virginia Supreme Court allowed a statewide vote on a Democratic redistricting plan to proceed on April 21 while it considers an ongoing legal challenge. Even if voters allow the legislature to implement a new map, which targets four of the state’s five Republican House members, the Virginia Supreme Court could still strike down the plan after the election.

CNN is tracking new maps and will continue to update with new state developments.

Redistricting, or the process of redrawing congressional district boundaries, typically takes place just once a decade, as states respond to updated population counts after the decennial census.

But with a historically tight House of Representatives, redistricting has become a critical tactic to shaping the midterm races.

The redistricting process is different in every state. In some places, state legislators can redraw the map on their own, and all that’s needed is the political will. In other states, the redraw might require changing the constitution, a lengthier process which often involves a direct vote of the people.

Overall, Republicans have more opportunities to gain seats through new maps than Democrats do. Republicans have full control of government in more states and many Democratic states have ceded the map-drawing power to independent commissions, moves some of them are now trying to reverse.

Six out of the nine House members targeted by Republican-enacted maps across the country are Black or Latino.

2025 has already featured an unprecedented level of politically motivated mid-decade redistricting, but there could be even more in store. In many states, legal challenges aim to overturn existing maps. And at the Supreme Court, the justices may be poised to strike down key parts of the landmark Voting Rights Act, a decision which would open the floodgates to even more aggressive maps and imperil more seats held by people of color.

The latest on redistricting

Republicans could flip 3 more seats than Democrats

Republicans have enacted new congressional maps in 4 states, targeting nine US House seats currently held by Democrats. New maps in California and Utah could flip as many as six seats for Democrats.

Targeted House seats under newly enacted redistricting maps

Enacted

Why it matters

The party not in the White House typically picks up seats in midterm elections. Republicans’ historically small margin in the House and a shrinking universe of competitive districts means that even a few seats could determine control of Congress next year.

2024 House election results

Majority

Democratic seats

Republican seats

So far, about a dozen states could redraw their congressional maps

Republicans have passed maps targeting nine Democratic seats in four states. New Democratic-leaning maps in California and Utah could flip six seats. Pending maps in Virginia and Maryland could flip an additional five seats for Democrats, and drawing new maps is under discussion in at least five other states.

Status of redistricting efforts

*Utah's congressional map was redrawn after a court order

Here are the Democrats targeted by new Republican congressional maps

So far, Republican redistricting efforts have targeted nine Democratic representatives across four states. Six of those representatives are members of the Congressional Black Caucus or the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Note: Data as of December 18, 2025.

Sources: US Census Bureau, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus

Graphic: Amy O'Kruk and Annette Choi, CNN