Mississippi calls special session after Supreme Court ruling, reshaping maps before midterms 2026.
After the U.S. Supreme Court made a big decision in a redistricting case, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said on Friday that he would call a special legislative session to redraw the district lines. Before people vote, voting maps across the country may need to be changed. This could have big effects on the midterm2026.
Reeves said that the meeting would take place 21 days after the court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. This case could change how states carry out the Voting Rights Act. The case is about Louisiana’s congressional map for 2024, which is being called an illegal racial gerrymander because it added a second majority-Black district. Before the midterm elections in 2026, the outcome could affect redistricting fights all over the country, especially in places where Republicans are in charge.
What the Supreme Court’s decision could mean for voting maps before the midterms 2026
I don’t typically make news on a Friday afternoon, but today I am going to make an exception:
I’m calling a special session.
During the recently completed regular session, the Legislature discussed drawing new maps to comply with a decision from a federal judge from the… pic.twitter.com/wEnFw5xkHk
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) April 24, 2026
Reeves says that the decision could also affect another Mississippi case that wants the state to change the boundaries of its Supreme Court districts. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center are two of the groups that filed the complaint, which WLBT says says that the current plan violates federal law by making Black people’s votes less powerful. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard the state’s appeal of the verdict and put it on hold until Callais was resolved. “I believe, and federal law says, that the Mississippi Legislature should be the first to draw these maps,” Reeves said on X. “The truth is, they haven’t had a fair chance to do that because the Callais decision is still pending.” He went on to say that he is using his power to let lawmakers change maps until the Supreme Court makes things clearer. Any delays or unclear laws could affect how districts are set up in time for the midterm elections in 2026.
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The Callais ruling’s effects on Mississippi and the 2026 midterm elections: “For those reasons, I am using my constitutional authority to let the Mississippi Legislature use their constitutionally recognized right to draw these maps once the new rules of the game are known following Callais,” Reeves said.
Reeves says that the decision could “forever change the way we draw electoral maps.” In October, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court seemed open to changing a key part of the Voting Rights Act that stops states from making it harder for minorities to vote. People who are against it have warned that this choice could make voting rights for minorities even weaker. As the 2026 midterm elections get closer, everyone is watching the Supreme Court to see how its decision will affect the redistricting process.
Why Mississippi lawmakers are waiting for the court before the 2026 midterm elections
The special session won’t happen until the Supreme Court makes a decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Because of this, Mississippi lawmakers can’t start working until they know about the new rules. After the court makes things clear, the legislature will have 21 days to act. Before the 2026 midterms, there isn’t much time left to make new maps that follow federal law.
Voting rights and legal issues before the midterm elections in 2026
The Mississippi case that led to Reeves’ announcement is on hold by the Fifth Circuit. The ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center have filed a lawsuit saying that the current state Supreme Court district map unfairly weakens the voting power of black people. Depending on what the U.S. Supreme Court decides in Callais, the Fifth Circuit may lift its pause or change its plan. The 2026 midterms will probably show what happened in any case.
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