Washington — The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down the Louisiana congressional map that includes two majority-Black districts, delivering a significant victory for Republicans and issuing a decision that narrows the landmark Voting Rights Act.
The high court upheld a lower court decision that found Louisiana mapmakers relied too heavily on race when they redrew the state’s voting boundaries to comply with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. In a decision authored by Justice Samuel Alito, the high court ruled that Section 2 did not require Louisiana to create a second majority-minority district.
The court divided 6-3 along ideological lines, with the three liberal justices in dissent.
The decision comes just months ahead of the November midterm elections. Candidates have already filed to run across Louisiana’s six congressional districts, but it’s unclear whether state Republicans will mount a late attempt to redraw its map.
Still, the decision could be a boon for Republicans across the country, who have had to craft majority-minority districts in some states in order to comply with the Voting Rights Act. The question before the court was whether race-based redistricting violates the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.
The map, which was also used in the 2024 election cycle, includes four majority-White districts and two majority-Black districts and had been invalidated by a three-judge district court panel as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
The dispute had implications far beyond political representation in Louisiana, as it threatened to lead to a weakening of Section 2. The law’s protections have been key for voters seeking to challenge redistricting plans that they argue are racially discriminatory.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
