A federal court in South Carolina has ruled that the state’s congressional elections this year will proceed under a map that was previously deemed unconstitutional and discriminatory against Black voters. The decision comes as the primary elections are fast approaching, with the court citing time constraints and a lack of a Supreme Court decision on the case. South Carolina’s primary elections are scheduled for June 11, and early voting begins on May 28, making it impractical to make changes to the maps before these deadlines.
The case in question focuses on South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace. Last year, a panel of judges ordered the state to redraw the district after finding that race was used as a proxy for partisan affiliation, violating the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Following redistricting driven by the 2020 census, Mace won reelection by a significant margin in 2022. Civil rights groups accused state lawmakers of selecting a map that disenfranchised Black voters in favor of Republicans, leading to swift legal action.
In response to the lawsuit, the court found that South Carolina had excluded 30,000 Democratic-leaning Black voters from the 1st District to ensure Mace’s reelection. The state appealed this ruling, which led to arguments before the Supreme Court in October. Despite the justices appearing inclined to uphold the district and reject the lower court’s decision, a final ruling has not been issued. Both the state and civil rights groups had requested a decision by January 1 to allow for orderly election preparations, but that deadline has passed without a resolution.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is part of the coalition challenging the district, criticized South Carolina’s failure to rectify the racial gerrymandering in its congressional map. The ACLU’s Voting Rights Project deputy director condemned the legislature for disregarding Black voters’ rights and exacerbating voter suppression in the state. The ACLU vowed to continue fighting for fair representation and democratic processes despite the court’s ruling. Attorneys for the South Carolina leaders named as defendants in the case did not respond to requests for comment.
This case differs from a recent Supreme Court ruling in Alabama, where Republican lawmakers were found to have diluted Black voters’ political power by creating just one majority Black district. The court’s decision in that case led to the establishment of a second district where Democratic-leaning Black voters make up a significant portion of the electorate. The situation in South Carolina highlights ongoing challenges in ensuring fair representation and preventing discriminatory practices in congressional redistricting.
