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Jimmy Williams
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court allowed Louisiana to use a new congressional map for this year’s elections, which includes two majority-Black districts.
This decision came after an unexpected alliance of Republican state officials and civil rights groups requested the high court to block a lower court ruling that had invalidated the new map. State officials argued they needed the map finalized by Wednesday to avoid bureaucratic “disarray.”
Historically, Black voters have favored Democrats, and having two majority-Black districts could potentially help Democrats gain a seat in the closely contested House of Representatives.
The court’s three liberal justices dissented. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson noted that the state still had time to redraw the map to address legal issues. She wrote, “There is little risk of voter confusion from a new map being imposed this far out from the November election.” The Supreme Court currently has a 6-3 conservative majority.
Liberal justices have previously objected when the court blocked changes to district maps or election laws in election years, often favoring Republicans. Internal divisions on this issue were evident in 2022 when the court blocked a ruling against a congressional district map in Alabama. Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh defended this move, emphasizing the need for “clear and settled” election rules.
The majority did not provide detailed reasoning for their decision on Wednesday.
Louisiana’s map has been contentious, with the state’s original effort being labeled a racial gerrymander. Using the Legislature’s original map, Republicans won five of six districts in the 2022 elections. The Supreme Court later strengthened the Voting Rights Act, ruling that a similar map in Alabama discriminated against Black voters.
However, after Louisiana redrew its map, new plaintiffs, described as “non-African American” in court papers, argued that creating a second majority-Black district discriminated against non-Black voters, violating the Constitution’s 14th Amendment. A federal court struck down the new map, but state officials told the Supreme Court they needed a finalized map to avoid “chaos and confusion” before the upcoming elections.
The plaintiffs argued that the state’s deadlines were “hopelessly arbitrary,” noting that Louisiana has a unique “jungle primary” system where all candidates appear on the Election Day ballot. The state recently revised its election laws to introduce more party primaries by 2026.
Advocates for the new Louisiana map praised the Supreme Court’s decision. Sara Rohani, a redistricting fellow for the Legal Defense Fund, stated, “Today’s Supreme Court action ensures that Black voters’ voices will not be silenced during this year’s critical elections. The Voting Rights Act requires Louisiana to have a map where Black voters have a fair opportunity to elect candidates of choice. While this is not the end of our work to defend that principle, it is a critical moment in our fight for fair maps in Louisiana and reflects the strength of our democracy.”
This decision marks a significant moment in the ongoing battle for fair representation in Louisiana and underscores the importance of the Voting Rights Act in protecting minority voters’ rights.
