Rep. Ireland Warns Redistricting Clock Is Ticking
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Rep. Andrew Ireland said Thursday that the state must act quickly on redistricting if it hopes to avoid legal and logistical challenges ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
Appearing on Steve Bannon’s War Room, Ireland said Indiana is currently in a “holding pattern,” awaiting a possible special legislative session to approve new congressional and legislative maps.
“We’re burning daylight here,” Ireland said. “At the end of the day, the clock is ticking. We only have so much time to get this done, and every day we wait is another day we risk not getting it done.”
Ireland voiced concerns about the slow pace of the redistricting process, noting that other states — including Nevada, Missouri, Ohio, and Texas — have made more progress. He emphasized that Indiana lawmakers need to return to the Statehouse to pass new maps, giving local election officials enough time to prepare for the upcoming cycle.
Indiana operates with a part-time legislature, and is not currently in session. Ireland said that in order to enact new district maps, lawmakers will need to reconvene for a special session.
“We’ve got to get back to work and get a map together,” he said. “We have to pass it, give local officials time to do what they need to do, and prepare for the February 2026 filing deadline. That’s only a few months away.”
Ireland acknowledged that legal challenges to redistricting are likely, referencing litigation from the 2020 election cycle and cautioning that “judges and lawyers” may try to block any new maps.
“This is a perfectly legal process,” he said. “But we’re going to have to litigate it, and we need to give ourselves enough time to get it done right.”
Ireland said he remains hopeful that legislative leadership will call a special session soon.
