For some Indy residents, the Republican-led effort to redraw Indiana’s congressional districts seems like nothing short of a power grab.
“It feels illegal to me,” said Michelle Le Mond, 49, who has lived in West Indianapolis for most of her life. “If they can do it now, they can do it any year. They can do it under any administration. So, it’s just kind of chaotic.”
Under pressure from the Trump administration, state Republican lawmakers are considering drawing new boundaries for Indiana’s congressional districts to give Republicans an advantage in the 2026 midterm elections.
But Le Mond said merging portions of Indianapolis with more rural counties could end up hurting the needs of both populations.
“We just want our voice to be heard, and it dilutes everything and just makes us all seem like we want the same thing when we don’t,” she said.
Over the last few months, Indiana’s Republican lawmakers have met, largely behind closed doors, to discuss redistricting. State Democrats, who hold a superminority at the Statehouse, have held protests and phone banks to oppose the redistricting effort.
We wanted to know what people outside of the Statehouse had to say. So we hit the pavement and traveled to neighborhoods across the city to ask Indy residents. In all, we spoke to more than two dozen residents across the city.
No one we interviewed said they support redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Polling shows mid-decade redistricting is unpopular among both Democrats and Republicans. And, unlike the people we interviewed, those in favor of redistricting hold some of the most powerful positions in the state and nation.
‘Nobody wanted this’
Oaklandon resident Rai Steinhardt, 28, said redistricting is “circumventing the democratic process.”
“Nobody I know from either side of the aisle wanted to start this process or wanted this to be a thing,” Steinhardt said. “So it makes, personally, me, feel like they’re listening to people out of state, rather than listening to the people who live here about the issues that we are facing. There’s more important things to handle.”
Indiana Republicans already control 7 of the state’s 9 congressional districts, but President Donald Trump is pushing Indiana lawmakers to redraw its maps in an effort to flip the state’s last two Democratic strongholds in northwest Indiana and the city of Indianapolis.
It’s part of a wider effort to ensure Republicans maintain control in the U.S. House of Representatives after midterm elections next year.
Rosiline Floyd, 60, who lives in Warren Township, said she fears the loss of Rep. Andre Carson, a Democrat who has represented the 7th congressional district since 2008.
“We will no longer have a representative of color representing the state of Indiana, and that’s really scary,” Floyd told Indy Documenters at an Indiana Black Expo event focused on redistricting.
“If you’re not in the room, you don’t know what’s happening,” she said. “Some of the grants that our community needs — who’s going to fight for those grants?”
Last year, Carson secured $10.3 million in federal funding for community projects in Indianapolis. That money went to various projects in the city, including lead service line replacement, construction of the IndyGo Blue Line and programs for youth who have been involved in the juvenile justice system. Carson also hosts an annual job fair at Ivy Tech Community College’s Indianapolis campus.
In Irvington, 30-year-old Taron White said he wasn’t too familiar with redistricting. But he does know who Rep. Carson is. He said he would like to see the districts stay the same.
“It’s early,” White said. “If it’s (being assessed) every nine and 10 years, keep it that way. I don’t see the point of changing anything.”
The impact of redistricting
Community members are concerned that a new map could lump parts of Indianapolis with rural areas that don’t face the same problems.
Cecelia Poynter, 62, has lived in Franklin Township for about 30 years. She wasn’t happy when Indiana legislators redrew maps in 2021 and she was redistricted out of the 7th congressional district and placed into Indiana’s 6th congressional district, which is now represented by Jefferson Shreve, a Republican.
Poynter isn’t happy now either.
“So, if they were fair and good then,” Poynter said, “why are they not now four years later?”
Additionally, Poynter said these redistricting efforts are a waste of taxpayer dollars. In October, Gov. Mike Braun announced he would call a special session in December to consider redistricting. State lawmakers have since said they will not meet before January, so taxpayers won’t be on the hook for the special session.
Still, Poynter said people will have to pay for expenses to redraw maps, as well as a potential lawsuit. She said it’s hypocritical for the same Indiana lawmakers who cut funding for education and health services to use taxpayer dollars for political gain instead of supporting residents.
“Our general assembly chose to cut early childhood education, child care, health care, because we don’t have the money,” Poynter said. “Then why do we now have the money for drawing maps unnecessarily? There’s no new information to warrant having it done.”
Retired westside resident Clark May, 73, feels Republicans are trying to impose their will on Indianapolis residents without their say.
“I’m tired of all these fascist people, starting right at the top with the governor and a lot of his cronies, trying to make everything suit Donald Trump,” May said. “We have nothing in common with people in rural counties. I mean, it’s like my state senate district right now. It has nothing in common with the majority of the people, because Marion County has already been gerrymandered so badly that, you know, it ought to be two separate congressional districts by itself.”
May, who considers himself an independent, said he also opposed efforts by a Democratic governor to dilute the votes of Republicans in the 1990s.
“Back when Evan Bayh was governor, they made a pretty weird map, and I think they were wrong in what they did,” he said. “I mean Republican people need to be represented by Republicans, and Democrats by Democrats, and Marion County is mostly Democrat, and it should be represented by Democrats.”
Looking ahead
In response to Republican-controlled states such as Ohio and Texas redrawing their maps, California voters approved a proposal to redistrict in an effort to gain more seats for Democrats in the House.
And while Indiana Democrats are celebrating the win here, some Indy residents worry that these partisan fights are further eroding public trust in elected officials.
“I’m worried that, no matter who wins, people are going to be less likely to trust the outcome,” said Matthew Barron, a 51-year-old Perry Township resident.
Carl Cox, 67, is a federal employee who lives on the westside. He considers himself a conservative and opposes redistricting. He believes members of both parties should work together like they’re on the same team.
“It’s like when the Colts lost. The offense can blame the defense for the loss because they let them score, and the defense can blame the offense,” he said. “They were elected to do a job. They’re a team. They need to work together, but they’re not even talking. It’s a mess.”
Indiana Senate President Rod Bray said his chamber does not have the votes needed to get new maps approved, but Trump and Braun continue to mount pressure.
Trump has threatened to fund Republican candidates to run against lawmakers who don’t support his redistricting push, and Braun has said he will “explore all options” to compel the Senate to show up and vote next month.
Meanwhile, four Republican lawmakers who oppose or remain undecided on redistricting have reported swatting attempts on their homes. Swatting is the practice of making a false report to law enforcement with the intent of triggering an armed response to a person’s residence.
No charges have been filed in any of the incidents.
It’s conceivable that lawmakers could vote on new maps when they return for their regular session in January, but they would likely need to pass new maps in advance of the Feb. 6 filing deadline for political candidates in the 2026 election.
An update was made on Nov. 24, 2025: This story was updated to include how many Indy residents reporters spoke to.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian or on Bluesky @darianbenson.bsky.social.
Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on Facebook at Elizabeth Gabriel, Southside Reporter and on X at @_elizabethgabs.
Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on Bluesky at @enriquesaenz.bsky.social.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
