NATIONAL – On Wednesday a coalition of several next-generation civil rights and democracy organizations, who collectively represent millions of voters across the nation, sent a letter to the Governors and legislative leaders of 15 states demanding that they immediately begin redistricting ahead of the 2026 election cycle. This comes in response to Texas Republicans launching a redistricting process outside of the ten year cycle.
“Midcycle redistricting in states with Democratic trifectas is one of the few tools we have left to mitigate the GOP attempts to rig the game forever in their favor. The stakes are too high to stick to tactics that have not served us” says Portia Allen-Kyle, Interim Executive Director of Color Of Change. “We cannot let Republican leaders maneuver us out of the power or resources we deserve. Without the biggest protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and a Congress who won’t pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, we have limited options in protecting our communities from the worst impulses of an authoritarian regime determined to roll back civil rights. They will stop at nothing to enact their neo-segregationist agenda and repeal the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments that guarantee basic civil rights to Black and brown people. And if these leaders don’t act, they’ll be standing by and letting them do just that.”
“Racially gerrymandered maps are not new. Republican lawmakers have used these tactics for decades, and most recently in Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana, in order to diminish the voting power of Black and Brown communities. But under the Trump administration, they have become so emboldened that this mid-decade cheating only highlights how desperate they are to stay in power. Governors in states like Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, and Florida may try to follow Texas in disenfranchising millions of voters. But if they continue to gerrymander around, they’re surely about to find out,” says Cliff Albright, Co-founder and Executive Director of Black Voters Matter Fund. “Blue states have the numbers, and we are calling on Democratic leaders to stand up, fight back and protect the people.”
“Instead of being able to focus on recovering loved ones lost due to the floods, Texas Democrats are having to help to recover and restore Democracy from a sham Redistricting process” says Michael Blake, CEO of Kairos Democracy Project. “This complete affront to Democracy is reminding us that our future, our power and our destiny are absolutely impacted by what happens elsewhere.
We have a responsibility to convey that lost elected representation leads to lost protection of funding, values and priorities. We as a country cannot sit silently by as Republican leaders directly state that they will undermine precedence and the people to primarily support a President.
Kairos Democracy Project joins with Color of Change and other national partners to call on the 15 state delegations with Democratic Trifectas to immediately take steps for redistricting that draws new lines in 2026: because it is likely the only way to ensure a fair opportunity for all Americans, and not just one party, to be equitably represented. Usually when rules change mid game, it hurts Black and Brown people. This time, we must answer the call and say that our KAIROS is upon us to save our Democracy”
“We are facing an existential threat that demands we use every tool at our disposal” says Dorian Warren, Co-President of Community Change Action. “Democratic leaders in the 15 trifecta states have the power right now to protect fair representation. When Republicans are openly working to eliminate civil rights progress and potentially force a constitutional convention, we must leverage the redistricting power we have to ensure fair representation for all communities, especially Black and brown people who so often get the short end of the stick. We won’t stand by and watch them steal our future. This is our moment to fight back against an unprecedented assault on our democracy.”