The Supreme Court has recently dismissed Louisiana’s appeal aimed at preventing the state’s congressional map from being redrawn due to allegations of unlawfully diminishing the influence of Black voters.
This action was anticipated following the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 8, which upheld a crucial component of the landmark Voting Rights Act in a similar case concerning congressional districts in Alabama.
The court’s order acknowledged that the case should be resolved in lower courts “before the 2024 congressional elections in Louisiana.”
Consequently, the case will proceed in the 5th based in New Orleans.
Louisiana Assistant Attorney General Angelique Freel stated, “Our job is to defend what the legislature passed, and we trust the 5th Circuit will review the merits in accordance with the law,” in a released statement.
The recent Supreme Court ruling in the Alabama case has implications for Louisiana, potentially leading to the redrawing of its congressional map. This could result in Black voters having the opportunity to elect their preferred representatives in two of the state’s six congressional districts, instead of just one.
Abha Khanna, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in the Louisiana case, expressed gratitude, stating, “Thankfully, Louisiana is now on track to add an additional minority opportunity district in time for 2024.”
In the Alabama case, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision that the Republican-drawn map in that state discriminated against Black voters, making it challenging for them to vote for their preferred candidates.
Similarly, in June 2022, the Supreme Court allowed Republicans to use their preferred map, which had been previously invalidated by a judge for violating the Voting Rights Act. As a result, Republicans won five out of the six districts in the midterm elections held in November.
These developments reflect a parallel approach by the Supreme Court to address voting rights issues in both Alabama and Louisiana. The Louisiana case had been awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on the Alabama case before moving forward.
The ruling in Alabama is expected to have a direct impact on several similar cases, including the Louisiana case. Since Black voters tend to support Democratic candidates, the ruling could be advantageous for Democrats aiming to gain control of the House of Representatives.
