Texas lawmakers prepare for a special session on redistricting, while Rep. Jolanda Jones rallies against a Republican plan she says harms minority voting rights.
HOUSTON — Texas lawmakers are preparing for a special legislative session next week that could reshape the state’s political map, but State Representative Jolanda Jones is rallying opposition against what she calls a Republican-led redistricting plan that would undermine voting rights and marginalize communities of color.
Jones, a Houston Democrat who serves on the House Redistricting Committee and is running for Congress, spoke out against the proposed changes at a town hall meeting in Houston Thursday. She warned that the congressional map expected to be introduced during the special session would silence minority voices and weaken voting rights protections.
The redistricting battle has intensified as lawmakers gear up for the upcoming special session, with Jones expressing frustration about the lack of transparency in the process.
“I am in the redistricting committee, and I’ve reached out to the speaker, I’ve reached out to the chair of the redistricting committee, to see any maps that they have drawn, because I’ve heard they’re waiting on maps from Trump,” Jones said. “Well I would like to see what the maps do. What do they do to my district?” Jones said.
The proposed redistricting plan is being led by Republicans and is expected to significantly alter Texas’s political landscape. Jones has been actively working to mobilize community members against the changes, emphasizing concerns about how the new maps could impact representation for communities of color.
As the redistricting fight moves to the state capitol next week, Jones is urging voters to stay engaged in the process. The special legislative session will be crucial in determining how Texas’s congressional districts are redrawn, with potential long-term implications for political representation across the state.