NAACP seeks court order to block Tennessee redistricting overhaul

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Davidson County Chancery Court, just hours after Gov. Bill Lee signed the controversial map into law

The NAACP has filed an emergency lawsuit seeking to stop Tennessee from implementing a newly approved congressional redistricting map that reshapes voting districts in the state ahead of the 2026 elections, according to Nashville’s Fox17.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Davidson County Chancery Court, just hours after Gov. Bill Lee signed the controversial map into law following a special legislative session marked by protests and partisan debate at the State Capitol in Nashville.

At the center of the dispute is Shelby County, home to Memphis. The new congressional map divides the county into three Republican-leaning districts, a move Republican lawmakers openly defended as an effort to create an all-Republican congressional delegation from Tennessee.

Currently, Tennessee’s congressional delegation includes eight Republicans and one Democrat, Steve Cohen, whose Memphis-based district is directly affected by the redraw.

In its court filing, the NAACP argues that Tennessee law prohibits congressional redistricting between federal census cycles, which occur every 10 years. The organization claims lawmakers improperly repealed those protections during the special session and exceeded the authority granted under the governor’s proclamation convening lawmakers.

The lawsuit also challenges another measure passed during the session that temporarily suspends residency requirements for congressional candidates in the 2026 election cycle. According to the filing, that change was unrelated to redistricting and therefore outside the legal scope of the special session.

The NAACP further warned that the rapid implementation of the new map could create logistical problems for election officials and confusion for voters ahead of the 2026 primaries. The filing cited concerns over precinct changes, ballot updates and shortened candidate qualifying timelines.

Meanwhile, Tennessee’s Secretary of State,Tre Hargett, announced Thursday that the revised congressional maps are now officially in effect. Hargett’s office also opened a special qualifying period for congressional candidates that runs through May 15.

The lawsuit asks the court to declare the new map invalid and block Tennessee officials from using it in future elections. The legal challenge is expected to intensify an already heated political battle over voting representation and redistricting in the state.

The case now heads to court as Tennessee prepares for a closely watched 2026 election cycle.