Recent Voting Rights and Redistricting Developments Raise Continued Concerns – and Opportunities – Ahead of 2026 Midterms

By Tia Turner, NLIHC Project Manager, Our Homes, Our Votes 

Recent developments related to mail-in voting restrictions and congressional redistricting continue to shape the voting rights landscape ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, raising concerns about voter access while also demonstrating the continued importance of advocacy, organizing, and legal action to protect fair representation. 

A federal judge in Washington, D.C. declined on May 28 to temporarily block President Trump’s executive order restricting access to mail-in voting, allowing the administration to continue moving forward with implementation efforts while litigation continues. The executive order directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in coordination with the Social Security Administration, to create a federal list of approved absentee voters and would require the United States Postal Service to only deliver mail-in ballots to individuals included on that list. Voting rights advocates and civil rights organizations have raised concerns that the order could create significant barriers for eligible voters, particularly low-income renters, seniors, rural voters, voters with disabilities, and historically marginalized communities. While the judge determined the challenge was premature because implementation has not yet occurred, additional legal challenges remain ongoing. 

NLIHC’s Our Homes, Our Votes (OHOV) campaign previously cautioned that the executive order could significantly limit access to the ballot and mirrors broader proposals included in the “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act” (SAVE Act), which NLIHC strongly opposed due to concerns about restrictive voter eligibility and documentation requirements. OHOV continues to emphasize that expanding, not restricting, access to voting is essential to advancing equitable housing policy and strengthening civic participation among low-income renters and historically underserved communities. 

At the same time, recent developments in South Carolina and Alabama reflect that advocacy, public pressure, and continued legal action around fair representation remain critically important despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. While the ruling raised concerns among voting rights advocates about the future of protections against discriminatory districting, organizers, community advocates, and legal groups across the South continue pushing back against efforts that could dilute the political power of Black voters and historically marginalized communities. 

In South Carolina, the Republican-controlled state Senate voted against advancing a proposed congressional redistricting plan that would have reshaped district boundaries ahead of the 2026 elections. Several Republican senators joined Democrats in opposing the effort, citing concerns about transparency and the rushed nature of the proposal. Voting rights advocates viewed the outcome as an important reminder that public accountability, coalition-building, and sustained advocacy can still influence redistricting outcomes and slow efforts perceived as harmful to fair representation. 

Meanwhile, in Alabama, a federal three-judge panel blocked the implementation of a newly redrawn congressional map after finding the map likely discriminated against Black voters by reducing opportunities for fair representation. The decision marks another significant moment in ongoing efforts to protect voting rights in the South and demonstrates that legal challenges and community advocacy continue to play an important role even amid a shifting judicial landscape. 

Together, these developments highlight that while the Louisiana v. Callais ruling presents new challenges, communities, advocates, and organizers across the country are continuing to fight for fair representation, equitable access to the ballot, and a more inclusive democracy heading into the 2026 election cycle. OHOV will continue monitoring federal and state-level voting rights developments and providing resources, education, and organizing support to help ensure low-income renters and historically marginalized communities are able to fully participate in our democracy.

Join the next OHOV webinar: Mobilizing Voters After Louisiana v. Callais: Nonpartisan Action Steps for 2026 on Monday, June 8 at 3pm ET. This OHOV webinar will provide concrete, practical voter outreach strategies following the United States Supreme Court’s ruling. Register for this webinar by going to: https://tr.ee/Co1pI8