Gov. Mike Braun called a special legislative session to consider new maps Oct. 27 after months of White House pressure, though the proposal currently doesn't have enough Republican support to pass the Senate.

Proponents of mid-decade redistricting will have a week to try and change minds before the session starts. Some lawmakers are eying a 9-0 map that would eliminate the two seats held by Democrats, a cornerstone of President Donald Trump's efforts to secure a Republican victory in the midterms.

Here's all you need to know about the upcoming special session.

The special session is scheduled to start Nov. 3. It's not clear how long it will last, but it cannot extend past 30 session days or 40 calendar days, per Indiana law.

Indiana's last special session in 2022 was called to pass a near-total abortion ban in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade. It lasted two weeks and cost taxpayers $373,422 in per diems and mileage for lawmakers.

During the special session, lawmakers will consider redrawing Congressional districts as well as compliance with the One Big Beautiful Bill's changes to federal tax law.

It's unclear if redistricting efforts will be successful since the Senate lacks the votes to pass it, according to a spokesperson for the Senate Republicans. That spokesperson did not respond to IndyStar questions about if the Senate will bring a vote to the floor.

Only 12 senators have publicly supported redistricting, while five have said they're opposed. A chunk of those 12 senators came forward late last week and over the weekend as an online pressure campaign targeting the Senate intensified.

Politico reported last week that a majority of Indiana Republican senators supported redistricting in a call with the White House on Oct. 17. If all 10 Senate Democrats oppose the measure, Senate Republicans need more than a majority within their caucus to pass a new map. Since Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith supports redistricting and can break a tie, a successful vote would need at least 25 Republican senators.

Senate Republicans hesitant to delve into the redistricting battle are not alone.

Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican, urged lawmakers to reject White House pressure and listen to Hoosiers in a column last week. A handful of polls have found Hoosiers generally oppose redistricting mid-decade, a fact that holds even among Republican primary voters.

Former Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma told Indiana Capital Chronicle earlier this year that redrawing the map mid-cycle was "bad form."

So far, only five Republican senators have said they oppose redistricting, but others have remained quiet on the topic or given non-committal answers.

Indiana Democrats immediately criticized the governor's decision, questioning why Braun would call a special session if the Senate didn't have the votes. The move contradicts Braun's previous position, as he told reporters in September that he wouldn't call a special session if the votes weren't there.

"At best, Braun has been brow-beaten, changed his mind, and finally kissed the ... ring ... of the man who would be King," Indiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian said. "Or, maybe Braun is telling the Republican Senators that they, not him, will take the blame for any retribution that the White House has been doling out. Or, perhaps, most unsettling of all, Braun lied to us from the beginning."

Rep. Frank Mrvan and Rep. André Carson, Indiana's sole Democratic representatives in Congress, are both at risk of losing their seats. They have both condemned any mid-decade redistricting efforts.

In an interview with IndyStar on Oct. 27, Carson urged Indiana lawmakers to resist Trump's "empty threats" and the chorus of pressure online.

"It's very clear Hoosiers don't want this," Carson said. "This is a virtual constituency that is programmed to threaten duly elected representatives and senators and threaten to so-called expose them if they don't acquiesce."

Mrvan similarly called redistricting "unpopular."

"As working families are facing skyrocketing energy costs, the loss of health care and food assistance programs, rising local taxes, and cuts to public safety," he said in a statement Oct. 27, "it is unsurprising that Governor Braun has chosen to convene a special legislative session on mid-decade redistricting at the request of President Trump."

Redistricting proponents could redraw the congressional boundaries to enable Republicans to pick up one or two seats, though the latter, more ambitious option has gained steam in the last few weeks.

Mrvan's seat in northwest Indiana is an easier target as Republicans have come closer to unseating Democrats the past few cycles. Carson's deep-blue district in Indianapolis poses a greater challenge. Marion County, which is already split into two congressional districts would have to be further divided.

Republican lawmakers threw support behind a map that would make a 9-0 split likely at U.S. Sen. Jim Banks' inaugural Hoosier Leadership for America Summit in Noblesville. Some unofficial 9-0 maps circulated online split Indianapolis into three separate districts.

It's unclear who will draw the maps. Neither chamber's spokespeople responded to a question about whether an outside firm would be involved.

Contact Marissa Meador at [email protected] or find her on X at @marissa_meador.