BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana lawmakers could be called back to Baton Rouge later this month for a special legislative session to adjust 2026 election dates and prepare for a possible redrawing of the state’s congressional districts.
The potential session would come as state leaders await a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, a case challenging the constitutionality of Louisiana’s congressional map. Legislative leaders have asked members to hold dates between Oct. 23 and Nov. 13 in case the governor issues a call for the session.
Senate and House leaders say the main purpose would be to move next year’s qualifying and primary dates to give state officials more flexibility if the court orders new district boundaries. Under current law, candidates for congressional races are scheduled to qualify in mid-January, with party primaries set for April and possible runoffs in May.
“If the Supreme Court rules against the state after those deadlines, we’d have a real problem trying to redraw districts and conduct elections on time,” said Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, who chairs the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee. “This is about making sure we can follow whatever the courts decide.”
Some lawmakers say the call may be premature. Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, said there’s no reason to bring legislators back until a court decision is final. “There can’t even be a special session until the courts rule,” he said.
The special session, if called, would likely be short and limited in scope, focused primarily on election scheduling and any court-ordered redistricting. Governor Jeff Landry has not yet issued a formal call but indicated earlier this year that additional legislative action could be necessary following the regular session.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear new arguments in the Callais case in mid-October, with a ruling possible before the end of the month.
Louisiana’s congressional map has been the subject of ongoing litigation since 2022, when civil rights groups sued, arguing the map diluted the voting power of Black residents. Lawmakers approved new boundaries in 2024 that created a second majority-Black district, but the case remains under review.
If the court strikes down the current map, lawmakers would need to return to Baton Rouge to draw new lines before the 2026 election cycle begins.
