Where the national redistricting fight is heading in 2026

The 2026 midterm elections are fast approaching, but for some states, their congressional boundary lines are far from settled

The 2026 midterm elections are fast approaching, but for some states, their congressional boundary lines are far from settled.

After six states enacted new congressional maps this year, a handful of others could join the mid-decade redistricting fight next year that could help determine which party controls the House.

“We’re still squarely in the middle of this redistricting crisis,” said John Bisognano, president of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.

The redrawing of district lines typically happens at the start of each decade after the new census results. But President Donald Trump kicked off an unusually frenzied midcycle redistricting battle over the summer, when he called on Republican-controlled states across the country to draw new maps to shore up the GOP's narrow House majority. Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina all enacted new maps, which in total could net Republicans as many as seven seats.

But Republicans were not able to build as robust of an advantage as they initially hoped. California Democrats responded with a map, approved by voters last month, that could allow the party to gain up to five seats and effectively cancel out Texas' effort.