The Map is Moving: Tennessee Signs, Alabama Advances, South Carolina Follows - Democracy in the States Roundup
It’s Friday, May 8, 2026, and time for your Democracy in the States: Weekly Roundup.
If you blinked this week, you could have easily missed another attempt at gerrymandering. Eight days after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in Callais v. Louisiana, legislatures in the South were racing to redraw more favorable districts. At the same time, conflicting federal court orders on abortion medication left access uncertain, with a Supreme Court stay set to expire May 11. We’re covering these developments and more state-level changes to voting rights, immigration enforcement, and the growing fight over data center power demand below.
Tuesday’s Primaries
The 2026 elections are already underway, and this week’s primaries produced two nationally significant results, including Trump’s redistricting revenge in Indiana and a reassuring special election result for Democrats in Michigan. Meanwhile, Ohio voters chose their primary slates as eight other states readied for their own May primaries.
INDIANA: Trump-backed challengers ousted state senators who had voted against mid-decade redistricting, with leadership shake-ups expected heading into the fall session.
MICHIGAN: Greene wins Michigan Senate special election, Democrats retain control of chamber.
OHIO: Sherrod Brown wins Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate primary, set to face Jon Husted in November.
Redistricting
The nation’s redistricting fights are this week’s defining story, accelerated by the Supreme Court’s Callais ruling. Tennessee moved fastest, but it is not alone. Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Florida are all in active redistricting fights, while Virginia and Washington are watching what comes next.
INDIANA: Redistricting return, leadership questions loom after Indiana Senate primary shakeup.
ALABAMA: Alabama lawmakers advance primary bills as protests erupt in committees.
ALABAMA: Alabama NAACP: State attempt at redistricting a ‘contrived crisis.’
LOUISIANA: Louisiana used unconstitutional US House maps for past elections. Why not now?
FLORIDA: DeSantis, plaintiffs agree new map breaks FL Constitution. Does it apply anyway?
VIRGINIA: FBI raids Virginia redistricting champion Sen. Louise Lucas’ office and business.
WASHINGTON: In wake of Supreme Court ruling, WA Democrats weigh congressional redistricting options.
TENNESSEE: Tenn. passes new potential 9-0 GOP U.S. House map eight days after SCOTUS guts Voting Rights Act.
TENNESSEE: ‘Jim Crow on steroids’: Tennessee gerrymander included nixing rule that voters must be notified about new districts.
SOUTH CAROLINA: SC House advances efforts to redraw the state’s congressional districts.
SOUTH CAROLINA: White House map of SC voting lines could help Democrats, GOP leader warns.
Voting Rights & Voter Data
The post-Callais fallout is showing up in polling, court filings, and the ongoing federal push into state voter rolls, with states handling DOJ voter data demands in very different ways. A new Democracy Docket poll finds most voters still say the VRA is needed, even after the Supreme Court gutted it.
IOWA: Democrats criticize Iowa’s decision to share voter info with US Justice Department.
TENNESSEE: TN governor signs law requiring new citizenship vetting for voters if feds develop national database.
GEORGIA: Fulton County fights Department of Justice push for 2020 election worker information.
ARIZONA: Campaign launched to enshrine vote-by-mail in state constitution and counter GOP restrictions.
Abortion Medication
A week of conflicting court orders left access to abortion medication in uncertain territory. The 5th Circuit blocked telehealth mifepristone prescriptions nationwide, but the Supreme Court issued a temporary stay that expires May 11, restoring access for now. Meanwhile, states are making changes on their own.
IOWA: Iowa House votes to restrict abortion medication, requiring in-person prescriptions.
OKLAHOMA: Governor signs Oklahoma bill criminalizing providing abortion-inducing drugs.
MISSOURI: Missouri ‘born-alive’ abortion bill a top priority as session clock runs out.
OHIO: Ohio abortion rights advocates concerned about health access as US Supreme Court mulls mail access.
Immigration Enforcement
The week’s notable moment came from the Border Security Expo in Arizona, where ICE Director Todd Lyons made a striking admission that he didn’t know some deportation countries existed. But the federal immigration decisions are playing out across states in all directions.
ARIZONA: ‘I can’t even sleep’: Arizona immigrant hit with $1.8M fine for staying in US.
OREGON: Lawsuit alleges Oregon State Police violated sanctuary laws by sharing data with feds.
ARIZONA: Republicans fall one vote short on bill to criminalize blowing whistles to warn of ICE.
MAINE: Portland limits immigration enforcement assistance, going beyond other cities.
RHODE ISLAND: RI federal judge orders investigation after ICE failed to disclose man’s murder warrant.
Data Centers & the Grid
Communities across the country are pushing back on data center projects, and grid operators are warning that power demand is outpacing what the infrastructure can handle.
UTAH: Massive Box Elder County data center could increase Utah’s carbon emissions by 50%.
VIRGINIA: Dominion announces plans for new 3-gigawatt gas plant in Cumberland County.
MONTANA: NorthWestern’s mega-monopoly merger is all about data centers.
NEW MEXICO: New Mexico residents oppose proposed data center at Socorro town hall.
LOUISIANA: Data center hype faces AI regulation and community resistance.
GEORGIA: Advocates question Georgia Power fuel rates amid data center boom.
Interesting. The way I see it, all the SCOTUS ruling says is that states cannot redistrict by skin color.
https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/democrats-and-the-tennesssee-two
MASFO (Make America Shit For Once). Laws? Law and Order? The reception is very bad. It's hard to make out what you're trying to say.
If you got absolutely nothin', then cheat like crazy.