Indiana's special session to revisit congressional maps likely won't start Monday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A special session on redistricting in Indiana likely won't start next Monday.

Earlier this week, Gov. Mike Braun called for a special session to begin Nov. 3 to redraw congressional boundaries amid mounting pressure from the White House.

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have pressed Indiana lawmakers to redraw U.S. House districts to try to expand Republicans' current 7-2 edge over Democrats in the Hoosier state.

Vance and Trump have met separately with Indiana Republicans, including Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, in recent months.

Braun is a staunch Trump ally in a state the president won by 19 percentage points in 2024, but said previously he did not want to call a special session until he was certain lawmakers would back a new map.

Indiana Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers.

Leadership in both chambers will set the exact dates for lawmakers to return to the Statehouse.

Molly Swigart, a spokesperson for Bray, said Wednesday it was unlikely the Senate would be ready to convene next week, as lawmakers work to determine scheduling availability for the session. Swigart added that previous special sessions didn't convene for a few weeks after the initial date provided by the governor.

Once the session begins, legislators will have no more than 30 session days to redraw the districts and address a federal tax issue.

"I look forward to working closely with our colleagues in both the House and Senate to address these important issues and ensure Hoosiers continue to have strong representation in our nation's capital," Braun said in a statement in response.

Last week, Bray said Senate Republicans didn't have the votes to pass a new congressional map. A spokesperson for Bray's office said Monday votes were still lacking.

With just 10 Democrats in the 50-member Senate, that means more than a dozen of the 40 Republicans oppose the idea. Some Republican state lawmakers have warned that midcycle redistricting can be costly and could backfire politically.

Republicans outnumber Democrats in Indiana’s congressional delegation 7-2, limiting possibilities of squeezing out another seat. However, many in the GOP see redistricting as a chance for the party to represent all nine seats.

The GOP would likely target Indiana’s 1st Congressional District, a longtime Democratic stronghold encompassing Gary and other cities near Chicago in the state’s northwest corner.

Republicans could also zero in on Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, comprised of Marion County and the Democratic stronghold of Indianapolis. But that option would be more controversial, potentially slicing up the state’s largest city and diluting Black voters’ influence.

The state's current congressional maps, completed in 2021, have already compressed Districts 1 and 7 in size.

Typically, states redraw boundaries of congressional districts every 10 years after the census has concluded.

Opponents are expected to challenge any new maps in court.

Also during the special session, lawmakers are expected to take up an issue surrounding federal and state tax compliance Braun said "must be addressed" to avoid confusion during the upcoming tax season.

"I am also asking the legislature to conform Indiana's tax code with new federal tax provisions to ensure stability and certainty for taxpayers and tax preparers for 2026 filings," Braun said in a news release.

The governor said Indiana uses federal tax laws as the starting point for Indiana's tax return. Recent changes to federal tax law made in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act "include provisions that impact Indiana state tax filings" and could complicate 2025 tax filings. Braun said "addressing this discrepancy" during a special session will provide "confidence and clarity" ahead of tax filing season.

This story may be updated.

Previous Coverage:

Indiana lawmakers prepare for special session to revisit congressional districts

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun calls a special session to redraw congressional maps

Indiana Republicans lack votes to pass new congressional map

Redistricting pressure mounts in Indiana as JD Vance meets again with Gov. Braun

Vice President JD Vance to visit Indiana Friday as White House presses for redistricting

Indiana legislative leaders met privately with Trump to discuss redistricting

Indiana GOP may redraw congressional map to gain more Republican seats