Black voters represented by the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund and other civil rights groups have formally asked the Supreme Court to intervene in Louisiana’s contentious redistricting battle.
The filling follows a decision by a federal court to invalidate a map that could have allowed Black voters in Louisiana to elect a second African American representative.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana recently ordered the legislature to draw another congressional map, marking a new chapter in an ongoing saga with national implications.
Louisiana Illuminator reported on the latest ruling, which was handed down on Tuesday:
The order, handed down Tuesday, is the latest update in the case Callais v. Landry, in which a group of non-Black voters sued over the creation of a second majority-Black congressional district. They contend the map, signed into law after a five-day special legislative session convened in January at Gov. Jeff Landry’s direction, constitutes an unconstitutional racial gerrymander and violates the 14th and 15th amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
The three judge panel voted 2-1 in favor of the plaintiffs. The two judges who sided with the plaintiffs are federal court appointees of former President Donald Trump, while the dissenter was a nominee of former President Bill Clinton.
In a press release, Attorney General Liz Murrill, who defended the map, slammed the court’s decision.
“Today, three federal judges who never spent a day running an election have ignored uncontradicted testimony that we need a map by May 15, and once again turned Louisiana’s Congressional elections upside down,” Murill said. “At a time when concerns about election integrity are higher than ever, this ruling threatens the ability of the Secretary of State to conduct a stable and fair election in a presidential election year in Louisiana. We will be heading this week to the U.S. Supreme Court.”
Lawmakers in Baton Rogue have until June 3 to submit a new map.
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Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C., metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.
