The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Friday that it will revisit Louisiana’s congressional redistricting plan in its next term, set to begin after the summer. This case centers on the state legislature’s decision to create a Black-majority congressional district. A group of voters has challenged this move, claiming that the legislature improperly used race as a factor in drawing the new district lines.
Louisiana’s population is about one-third Black, but after the 2020 Census, the state legislature only established one majority-Black district among its six congressional seats. This situation mirrors Alabama’s actions following the same census, which were previously deemed illegal by the Supreme Court for diluting the Black vote, violating the Voting Rights Act.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, Louisiana’s legislature redrew the district lines to include a second majority-Black district. However, in doing so, they aimed to protect the seats of key Republican lawmakers, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise. This has led to accusations of racial gerrymandering from a group of voters who identify as "non-African-American voters."
During oral arguments this year, Louisiana’s attorney argued that the redistricting was not a racial issue but a political one, emphasizing the importance of protecting influential legislative seats. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear this case again, it raises significant questions about race, representation, and the political landscape in Louisiana.