Republican officials in Louisiana have asked the Supreme Court to intervene in a dispute over the state’s congressional districts. This comes after a panel of lower court judges ruled that upcoming elections cannot be held under a recently adopted map that included a second majority-Black district. The redistricting plan approved by Louisiana’s GOP-led legislature was deemed an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, prompting calls for emergency relief from the justices. The plan, which set the lines for the state’s six congressional districts, was challenged by a group of non-African American voters who claimed that the boundaries were drawn predominantly based on race.
The new plan adopted by state lawmakers earlier this year faced legal challenges, with the court ruling it to be an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. A divided three-judge panel blocked the GOP-drawn congressional map from being used in any election and set a deadline for a new map to be imposed. Black voters and civil rights groups have also asked the Supreme Court to intervene, with both sides requesting the justices to halt the injunction and remedial proceedings. GOP state lawyers argued in their filing that Louisiana is left without district lines just days before the secretary of state needs to begin implementing a congressional map for the 2024 elections.
The Louisiana officials argued that the two majority-Black districts passed by the legislature were in compliance with the Voting Rights Act and aimed to protect incumbent Republican leaders. They warned that the upcoming elections in the state risk being marred by confusion and chaos amid competing court orders and urged the Supreme Court to intervene to prevent disarray in the 2024 congressional elections. The Republicans also called for the case to be taken up in the court’s next term, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that redistricting-related litigation does not hinder the 2026 elections in the state.
If the Supreme Court decides to consider the merits of the dispute, it could have significant implications for the redistricting process and the use of race during this process. Allowing Louisiana to use the latest redrawn map could impact the November congressional elections and potentially influence the outcome of the House control. The request for emergency relief from the justices highlights the urgency of the situation in Louisiana and the need to resolve the redistricting issues to prevent disruptions in the electoral process. The outcome of this case could shape future redistricting decisions and have far-reaching consequences for elections in the state and beyond.
