politics
Supreme Court Strikes Down Louisiana Congressional Map
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's congressional map for including an additional majority-Black district, deeming it an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in a 6-3 decision. This ruling limits the scope of Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and prompted Louisiana to suspend its U.S. House primaries.
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The TimesAudio version
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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Louisiana's congressional map, which created a second majority-Black district, violated the Constitution by relying excessively on race in districting. In the majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court stated that "the State’s attempt to create an additional majority-black district produced a map that violated the Equal Protection Clause," according to the decision in Callais v.
Landry. The ruling clarified the framework for evaluating claims under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, emphasizing that race cannot predominate in redistricting without a compelling justification tied to the Act's requirements. Alito noted that "conditions in the South have dramatically improved since the Voting Rights Act was enacted in 1965," citing increased minority voter participation and representation.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order suspending the state's U.S. House primaries, originally scheduled for May 16, 2026, with early voting set to begin on May 1, 2026. Secretary of State Nancy Landry confirmed that ballots cast in House races during early voting would not be counted, providing time for the legislature to enact a new map.
The Republican-controlled legislature is expected to convene to redraw districts in compliance with the ruling.
The case stemmed from a challenge by non-African American voters who argued the map constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. A lower court had initially ordered the creation of the second majority-Black district to comply with Section 2, but the Supreme Court reversed that, finding the state's use of racial data predominated over traditional districting principles.
Democratic lawmakers and advocates expressed criticism. Sen. Raphael Warnock said in an interview with The Hill on April 29, 2026, that the ruling is "Jim Crow in new clothes" and represents a setback for Black voters, comparing it to historical barriers like literacy tests and poll taxes.
