Every 10 years, states redraw their congressional districts. The fundamental goal is to make sure each district has roughly the same number of people, so that everyone is fairly represented in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Now, though, President Donald Trump is calling on states — including Indiana — to change the maps just a few years after they were redrawn in 2021. For Hoosiers, that would potentially involve dividing Democratic-leaning voters in northwest Indiana and in Marion County so that districts favor Republican candidates before the next major election.
Many residents are concerned that redistricting could result in Marion County voters losing their fair representation in Congress.
This guide aims to get residents up to speed on the process, history and mechanics of redistricting. Have a question not answered here? Ask us using this form.
How does redistricting normally work in Indiana?
Congressional redistricting is mandatory every 10 years under Indiana statute.
While some states have independent redistricting commissions, Indiana’s process is controlled by state lawmakers. It works like other bills that are passed through the state legislature. A bill is introduced, then it’s discussed and voted on by both chambers and their respective elections committees.
Indiana and other states most recently redistricted in 2021, following the release of 2020 Census data.
Why is this happening now?
In 2026, voters will determine which major party has control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Trump is asking Indiana and other states to redraw congressional districts to favor Republican candidates as part of a broader push to retain a Republican majority in the House.
Republicans currently hold a slim majority. There are only six more Republicans than Democrats in that chamber.
The sitting president’s party typically loses House seats in the midterm election, according to Sam Wang, director of the Electoral Innovation Lab. The midterms are broadly seen as a referendum on the sitting president’s performance.
Trump’s redistricting push may need to pick up several seats for Republicans to maintain their majority. If the past is any guide, Republicans could expect to lose somewhere around 13 seats. But sometimes the swing is even bigger: During Trump’s first term, Republicans lost 42 seats.
Redistricting now could have unintended consequences, according to Julia Vaughn, executive director of pro-democracy group Common Cause Indiana. Moving Democratic voters into reliably Republican districts could make for more competitive races, potentially endangering Republican incumbents.
And it would mean that incumbents would have to build relationships with the new constituents in their districts, according to Wang.
Republicans, meanwhile, already hold most of the seats in Indiana.
“It seems like a lot of effort to squeeze out one seat,” he said. “It just seems too disruptive to Hoosiers in the northwest part of the state and in Marion County.”
Congressional seats 101
The recent conversation about redistricting has focused on congressional districts. Indiana has nine congressional representatives, of which two are Democrats.
These elected officials represent the interests of their districts in the U.S. House of Representatives, where they craft and vote on federal legislation. Their offices also run constituent services. Rep. André Carson, for example, hosts an annual youth opportunities fair in Indianapolis.
In order for state Republicans to achieve Trump’s goal of increasing the number of Republican members of Congress we send to Washington, D.C., they would need to dilute at least one of two heavily Democratic districts — the 1st District in northwest Indiana, a seat held by Rep. Frank Mrvan, or the 7th District in Marion County.
Carson represents the northern six townships here. Republican Rep. Jefferson Shreve represents the southern three townships as part of the 6th District.
Is mid-decade redistricting legal?
While state law says the state must redistrict every 10 years, it does not go into much detail otherwise.
Experts in constitutional law and gerrymandering told IndyStar that mid-decade redistricting would probably survive scrutiny by the courts, though they do expect lawsuits to be filed over the issue.
Vaughn told Mirror Indy she agreed with that assessment.
“The law is really kind of silent on congressional districts,” she said. Her organization is against mid-decade redistricting.
What is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering is the practice of redrawing political boundaries in order to make it more likely that a political party will win.
The legality of gerrymandering is governed by a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Voting Rights Act prohibits racial discrimination in voting practices and procedures. Subsequent Supreme Court rulings have clarified how that applies to redistricting and racial gerrymandering.
Simply put, states cannot draw congressional boundaries that aim to dilute the votes of racial minority populations.
The Supreme Court has, however, made it more difficult to challenge maps based on claims of racial gerrymandering. Last year it sided with South Carolina in a case where the state had removed thousands of Black voters from a district.
The court reasoned that the plaintiff, the state’s NAACP chapter, had not done enough to prove that the legislature made decisions based on race. This ruling will make it harder for people to challenge maps with allegations of racial gerrymandering.
As for partisan gerrymandering — where lawmakers might draw districts to benefit their political party — the court has taken a more hands-off approach. It has called it a political question rather than a judicial one. As recently as 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that federal courts had no constitutional reason to get involved.
What happened with redistricting in Indiana last time?
Because the process is controlled by the legislature, and because Republicans have a supermajority in both chambers and held the governor’s seat, the redistricting process in 2021 was controlled by Republicans.
Republicans lauded the maps at the time for keeping 84 of the state’s 92 counties intact within congressional districts. Democrats, meanwhile, criticized the process as unfair and lacking transparency.
What’s happening with Indiana redistricting in 2025?
The mid-decade redistricting push became public in June, when The New York Times published information about conversations between Trump’s political team and Republican leaders in Texas.
In August, Vice President JD Vance met with Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and state legislative leaders to discuss redistricting, among other topics. The same month, Indiana Republicans met with Trump officials in Washington, D.C.
Several Republican state lawmakers initially expressed reluctance or outright opposition, though some have changed their minds. Democrats have loudly opposed the idea, though they have little power to stop the process because they hold so few seats in the state legislature.
The issue also continues to spur protests at the Statehouse.
Braun said on Sept. 15 that the state is likely to pursue redistricting, or else face “consequences for not working as tightly with the Trump administration.” The process could start as soon as November, when Braun said he’d consider calling lawmakers back for a special legislative session. Otherwise, redistricting would happen during the 2026 legislative session, which starts in January.
How can you get involved?
If a special session is called, members of the public will be invited to provide public comment.
How involved the public will be is up to the leaders of the elections committees in either chamber, Vaughn said.
The members of those committees can be found here:
You can look up the state lawmakers who represent you on the legislature’s website. Information on how to contact Braun’s office is on the state’s website.
Braun has also said he is relying on legislative leadership to make the decision on whether to redistrict. The leader of the Senate is President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville; the leader of the House is Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers.
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Emily Hopkins is a Mirror Indy reporter focused on data and accountability. You can reach them on phone or Signal at 317-790-5268 or by email at emily.hopkins@mirrorindy.org. Follow them on most social media @indyemapolis or on Bluesky @emilyhopkins.bsky.social.
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