NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Supreme Court has now granted emergency relief to the state of Louisiana, halting a lower court ruling that threw out the state’s new congressional maps.
Lawmakers approved the map creating a second majority black congressional district in January.
The district cuts through the center of the state extending from Shreveport to Baton Rouge.
But a three-judge panel threw out the new boundaries, siding with challengers who argued that the new minority-majority district was an “impermissible racial gerrymander.”
The state asked the Supreme Court to stay that ruling so the new maps could be used in the fall election.
That’s exactly what the court did, handing down its order late Wednesday afternoon.
Civil Rights Attorney Tracie Washington, who filed a brief in this case, had this reaction to the court order.
“This is something that has been denied but is now through the U.S. Supreme Court action with this stay, we do anticipate through the 2024 elections we will be able to see this minority-majority district,” Washington said.
A federal judge in Baton Rouge ruled the map used in the 2022 elections violated the Voting Rights Act and ordered the state to draw new boundaries.
Although Louisiana is nearly one-third black, under the old map, five of its six congressional districts were predominantly white.
The Supreme Court’s stay is temporary, which means the case is expected to be settled at a later date.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill released this statement on the Supreme Court’s stay.
“The Secretary of State has consistently stated she needed a map by May 15. The plaintiffs did not contest it at trial. We will continue to defend the law and are grateful the Supreme Court granted the stay which will ensure we have a stable election season.”
See the U.S. Supreme Court document below:
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