A panel of federal judges recently ruled that the congressional election map giving Louisiana a second mostly Black district must be redrawn by the state Legislature by June 3 or else the judges will impose a new map. This decision has sparked a legal battle, with voting rights advocates and Republican Attorney General Liz Murrill planning to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. The judges stated that lawmakers still have the opportunity to create a compliant map during the current legislative session, but the court will begin work on a remedial plan in the meantime. This new map could potentially impact the composition of the next U.S. Congress, as it may provide Democrats with the chance to secure another House seat.
The map that was recently invalidated converted a Republican-held district into a mostly Black district, prompting concerns over the violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. U.S. District Judges David Joseph and Robert Summerhays, both appointed by former President Donald Trump, found that race was the predominant factor in creating the new map, while Appellate Court Judge Carl Stewart dissented. The ongoing legal battle over the congressional election map has been a complex and contentious process, with multiple court decisions and appeals. The current map consists of five white Republican U.S. House members and one Black Democrat, all elected under the 2022 redistricting plan that is now in dispute.
The legal battle originated from a ruling by U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, who blocked the use of the 2022 map, citing potential violations of the federal Voting Rights Act due to the division of the state’s Black residents across multiple districts. In response to the court’s decision, the state Legislature created a new map that incorporated a new district connecting Black populations from various parts of the state. This new map could potentially result in the loss of a Republican House seat, but it was supported by Governor Jeff Landry and other Republicans as a way to comply with the court ruling and protect influential Republican members of Congress.
A group of non-African American voters filed a lawsuit against the new map, arguing that it was unconstitutionally drawn based on race. The three-judge panel presiding over the case ruled against the map with a 2-1 majority, leading to the recent decision to redraw the congressional election map. As the legal battle continues, it remains unclear how the judges will approach the creation of a new district, particularly in terms of minority representation. The judges have called for new proposals to be submitted by interested parties by May 17, with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office emphasizing the need for a new map by May 15 to prepare for the upcoming fall elections. The candidate sign-up period is scheduled for mid-July, highlighting the urgency of resolving the redistricting issue promptly.
