Georgia governor Brian Kemp rules out canceling primary
AJC.com • • general
Key Points:
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced he will not cancel the May 19 primary or rush to impose new political maps for the 2026 midterms despite the Supreme Court weakening a key Voting Rights Act provision.
- Kemp indicated that new electoral maps will be drawn for the 2028 elections, as it is too late to change maps for the 2026 cycle with early voting already underway.
- The Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which found a majority-Black district relied too heavily on race, has led some states like Louisiana to suspend primaries and redraw maps, though Georgia is taking a different approach.
- Democrats and voting rights advocates warn the ruling could reduce majority-Black districts and minority representation, with Senator Raphael Warnock comparing the decision to a return to Jim Crow-era policies.
- Some Georgia Republicans, including candidates for lieutenant governor, are pushing Kemp to call a special legislative session to redraw maps ahead of the governor’s term ending, aiming to secure GOP-favorable districts before a potential change in statewide leadership.
