Redistricting: Why or Why Not?

Redistricting in Indiana occurs every 10 years after the census.

The purpose is to even the population within each district – congressional, State Senate and State House of Representatives. Indiana most recently redistricted in 2021. These maps were not challenged in the courts, and 36 senators supported them.

However, recently there has been a push for Indiana to redraw our Congressional maps mid-cycle.

Mid-cycle redistricting is a purely political effort by outside groups that don’t have Indiana's best interests at heart to gain more Republican congressional seats. We have had no change in population over the past five years to justify creating new maps. Republican representatives already hold seven of the nine congressional seats in Indiana.

While mid-cycle redistricting has been tried in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, California and Utah, all these attempts are currently tied up in court litigation, and it is unclear if these states will be allowed to use their new gerrymandered maps for the 2026 election.

The majority of the Indiana Senate has voted to return Jan. 5, meaning the body at large does not have the appetite to conduct a special session to consider redistricting. The cost of a special session would also needlessly spend taxpayer dollars on something that isn't even likely to be a success.

While I support President Trump, I cannot support a special session to consider redistricting. Only about 7.5% of my constituents who have contacted me at the Statehouse support the effort. We also have not been provided with a map to consider. I regret that my constituents have had to tolerate so many negative texts, videos and mailers from interest groups in Washington, D.C. to convince Indiana to support new maps at whatever the cost.

I will continue to listen to my constituents and make sure their voices are heard loud and clear.

I encourage residents of Senate District 42 to contact me with any questions or comments they may have. I can be reached by filling out a "Contact Me" form online at www.IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Leising or by phone at 800-382-9467.

State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) represents Senate District 42, which includes Decatur, Fayette, Ripley and Rush counties, and portions of Franklin, Jennings and Shelby counties.