INDIANAPOLIS — State Senator La Keisha Jackson (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement today in response to Governor Mike Braun’s decision to call a special session of the Indiana General Assembly during the first week of November to redraw Indiana’s congressional maps midway through the decade:
“Today’s decision to call a special session for the first week of November to rig congressional maps mid-decade is nothing more than a blatant political power grab,” said Jackson. “For three months, we’ve watched attention and energy diverted from the real issues Hoosiers are facing, like child care and Medicaid funding cuts, underfunded essential services and families struggling to make ends meet.”
After a tight budget session and continuing cuts to programs working families rely on, Jackson directs attention to responsible government spending. If the General Assembly meets for a two-week special session, it is estimated to cost over $250,000 of taxpayer money.
“Instead of addressing the urgent needs of Hoosiers, taxpayer dollars are going to be wasted on a purely partisan agenda,” said Jackson. “This move undermines public trust and ignores the priorities of everyday Hoosiers who expect their government to focus on solutions that actually improve their lives, not entrench political power.”
Jackson emphasizes the importance of drawing Congressional maps every ten years with the census to ensure maps are drawn based on population changes, not politics.
“When these maps were drawn and approved following the 2020 Census, they were meant to last the decade,” said Jackson. “There is no constitutional, moral or practical justification for changing them now. Redrawing districts five years early for political gain sets a dangerous precedent that could destabilize our democratic process for years to come.”
“We are elected to serve Hoosiers, not to be puppets for Washington or anyone else,” said Jackson. “It’s time to put people over politics and refocus on the pressing challenges facing Indiana families: strengthening our schools, supporting working parents, ensuring affordable health care, and rebuilding trust in our institutions.”
