Dem
47
GOP
53
You thought that as soon as Missouri and Virginia hold referendums and Florida tears up its map, we would be done with midcycle regerrymandering? Wrong! Action has started in Colorado for a new map for 2028. This is a good place for Democrats to start. The state is very blue, yet the congressional delegation is 4D, 4R. With some magical mapmaking, that could be transformed into 7D, 1R.
The reason the map is even is that it was made by an independent commission. A Democratic-allied group is now working on a ballot initiative that would take map-making power back from the commission and hand it back to the Democratic legislature for 2028 and 2030. The group, called "Coloradans for a Level Playing Field," is framing the action as a response to Texas, Missouri, and other states redrawing their maps mid-cycle. A spokesman for the group said nobody wanted this, but the other guys started it.
The group will need to gather 125,000 signatures before Aug. 3 to get it on the Nov. 2026 ballot. It is expected to get funding from the House Majority PAC and other groups. New York may also join the gerrymandering circus for 2028.
If the Supreme Court kills off the VRA, a dozen Southern states may try to redraw their maps, but depending on the timing may not be able to do it in time for the 2026 elections.
The end game of all this is the Electoral College in the House. All states will have a winner-take-all congressional delegation. If the Republicans control the trifecta in a state, all the House seats will be redrawn to be Republican. If the Democrats control the trifecta, they will get all the House seats. Only in the six states with split power will there be split delegations. This is probably not what the founders had in mind. On the other hand, this may so infuriate the voters as to force actual change. (V)