Supreme Court Allows Texas Voting Map to Stand

By: Pallavi Gorantla , December 8, 2025

Newly approved congressional map faces ongoing scrutiny.

What the Ruling Does

The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed Texas to use its newly drawn congressional voting map for the 2026 election cycle. The ruling overturns a lower federal court’s decision to prohibit the map after it was determined that it probably discriminated against Black and Latino voters. The Republican-led redistricting plan, which is expected to increase GOP representation and possibly add several Republican-leaning seats, was allowed to continue while legal proceedings are ongoing by the Supreme Court through the issuance of an emergency stay.

Why It’s Being Challenged

A number of Texas voters and civil rights organizations contend that the map amounts to an unlawful racial gerrymander. The lawsuit claims that state legislators reduced the voting power of minorities in various parts of the state by using race as a dominant factor when redrawing district boundaries. Plaintiffs claim that the new arrangement limits minority communities’ ability to elect the candidates of their choice, citing the federal panel’s earlier ruling that the map probably violated constitutional and Voting Rights Act protections.

How the Supreme Court Responded

The majority of the Supreme Court noted that courts should refrain from changing election regulations close to an election, citing worries about upsetting voter expectations and candidate filings. Instead of characterizing the map as racial discrimination, a number of justices described it as the result of partisan strategy, which the Court has historically deemed to be lawful. The Court’s three liberal justices countered that the lower court looked at extensive evidence and that its conclusions should be respected. They cautioned that the decision might erode protections intended to shield minority voters from discriminatory mapping practices.

What to Watch Next

Unless future court decisions alter the outcome, Texas will proceed with the 2026 elections using the contested map. Whether the map ultimately passes constitutional scrutiny or needs to be redrawn will depend on the outcome of the ongoing lawsuit. As other states negotiate similar conflicts over the boundary between partisan redistricting and racial discrimination, the result may have a substantial impact not only on Texas but also on redistricting procedures nationally.