Louisiana Legislative Redistricting Challenge

Lawsuit filed in federal court on behalf of Black voters and civil rights organizations against Louisiana’s newly enacted legislative maps. The complaint alleges that the new legislative districts violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) by diluting the voting strength of Black Louisiana voters, the result of “packing” Black voters into certain districts and “cracking” them among other districts to dilute their voting power. The plaintiffs argue that the Black population in Louisiana can constitute a voting majority in six to nine more state House districts and three more state Senate districts. The lawsuit asks the court to block the use of the enacted maps in future elections and order VRA-compliant maps that accurately reflect the state’s Black population. On Aug. 30, 2022, the court granted a motion to stay (meaning pause) proceedings pending a decision in Merrill v. Milligan.

Last updated: September 1, 2022 2:53 pm EST