Georgia Politics: Kemp Skips Special Session
Outgoing governor lets redistricting plans lapse as Democrats take the State House for the first time since 1998.
By Samuel Hayes ·
Governor Brian Kemp issued a formal rejection of a special legislative session on Tuesday. The decision leaves state lawmakers without a mandate to alter district maps or limit executive authority before the end of the year.
Kemp, who is leaving office, wrote that he would not convene the General Assembly to debate redistricting changes or curtail powers of the executive branch. He stated that the voters of the state had already spoken. The governor-elect, Keisha Lance Bottoms, defeated Republican Rick Jackson to take control of the State House. This marks the first time a Democrat has won the gubernatorial race in Georgia since 1998.
The special session had been a point of contention since June. At that time, Kemp urged lawmakers to reconvene after the Supreme Court struck down a key section of the Voting Rights Act. He argued the ruling required the state to adopt new maps before the 2028 cycle. However, the timeline was tight. The redistricting work needed to be completed before the primary elections in May.
Republican state House Speaker Jon Burns previously tabled the proposal. Burns said the process was not the right path forward for the state at that specific moment. He emphasized that district map changes impact every voter in Georgia. He promised a fact-driven process to hear from voters before making final decisions.
Kemp maintained that redistricting was primarily the responsibility of the state Legislature, even though he disagreed with the Supreme Court's ruling. In his statement on Tuesday, he noted that the state would always respect the results of secure and fair elections. He also said the state would abide by its laws and constitution.
The governor left one area open for potential legislative action. He indicated that lawmakers might still need to address the state's finances before January. This exception allows the General Assembly to meet for budgetary purposes while avoiding a session dedicated to redistricting or executive checks.
Bottoms is set to take office in January. She will inherit a state where the map drawing process remains in flux. The decision by Kemp effectively hands the redistricting debate to the incoming administration and the General Assembly's next regular session.
