NAACP Tennessee challenges new congressional map in lawsuit
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 8
NAACP Tennessee challenges new congressional map in lawsuit
12 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 8
The suit targets a map signed by Governor Bill Lee that splits Memphis's Ninth District into three Republican-leaning seats, eliminating Tennessee's only majority-Black district before the 6 August primaries.
Republican leaders said the redraw was driven by population and politics, not race, as they seek full control of Tennessee's congressional delegation.
The case follows a Supreme Court ruling weakening Voting Rights Act protections, prompting redistricting fights across the South and echoing Tennessee's 2022 breakup of Democratic-leaning Nashville.
With federal voting protections weakened, can state laws successfully challenge the redrawing of congressional maps?
What does the Supreme Court's new standard for the Voting Rights Act mean for future minority representation?
How does dividing a city among multiple districts impact its residents' representation on local issues?
How Tennessee's 2026 Mid-Decade Redistricting Threatens Black Political Representation in Memphis
Overview
In May 2026, following a Supreme Court ruling that weakened federal voting protections, Tennessee's Governor Bill Lee called a special session where Republican lawmakers repealed a 50-year ban on mid-decade redistricting and quickly passed a new congressional map. This map divided Shelby County, dismantling the state's only majority-Black district in Memphis to favor Republicans. The Tennessee NAACP and Democratic Party filed lawsuits, arguing the rushed process violated state law and election fairness principles, risking voter confusion and disenfranchisement before the August primaries. This effort reflects a broader Southern strategy enabled by recent court decisions, aiming to consolidate GOP power by diluting minority voting strength through aggressive, last-minute redistricting.