A new congressional district map giving Louisiana a second majority-Black House district was rejected by a panel of three federal judges, raising uncertainty about district boundaries for fall congressional elections. The ruling forbids the use of a map drawn up in January by the Legislature after a different federal judge blocked a map from 2022. The new map was challenged by 12 self-described non-African American voters, who claimed the districts were unconstitutional racial gerrymandering that discriminated against white voters.
Supporters of the new map argued that political considerations played a major role in its development, not race. The map links Black populations in different regions of the state and aims to ensure compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act. While the map maintains safe districts for five incumbents, including one Black Democrat and four white Republicans, Rep. Garret Graves, a white Republican, sees his district shift from majority-white and Republican to majority-Black and Democratic. This change, along with Graves’ support for a rival of Republican Gov. Jeff Landry in the previous governor’s race, underscores the argument that politics, not race, was a driving factor in drawing the new map.
The ruling is part of a lengthy legal battle over redistricting that occurs every 10 years based on census data. Louisiana’s Republican-dominated Legislature drew a new map in 2022 favorable to all six incumbents, but it was challenged and blocked by a federal judge. The new map now faces rejection, as critics argue it packed voters in one district and dispersed the remaining Black population among white districts. The timeline for redrawing the map is crucial, as state election officials need to know the district boundaries by May 15 to prepare for the November elections.
The opponents of the latest map filed their lawsuit in a federal court system dominated by Republican-appointed judges. The judges who heard the case voted to reject the new map, with two judges appointed by former President Donald Trump voting against it, while a judge appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton dissented. The ruling has introduced uncertainty about the November election map, with possible appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. As the state prepares for fall congressional elections, questions persist about how district boundaries will be determined and the impact on representation for different communities in Louisiana.
