Louisiana Supreme Court Redistricting Challenge (Louisiana NAACP)

Lawsuit filed by the Louisiana NAACP and voters against the state of Louisiana and its then-Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin (R) challenging the state Supreme Court map under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The plaintiffs allege that Louisiana’s current map of single-member districts to elect members to the state Supreme Court were drawn in a way that unfairly dilutes the political power of Black voters. They argue that 5th Supreme Court District, a very large district which surrounds the Baton Rouge area, packed Black voters into a majority white district and created the conditions where a large group of Black voters could not elect their desired candidate. The plaintiffs are asking the district court to declare the current Louisiana Supreme Court districts violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and order the state to draw new maps. 

On June 26, 2020, the district court judge denied the defendants’ motions to dismiss. The defendants appealed this decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Dec. 2, 2020. On Sept. 17, 2021, a three-judge panel on the 5th Circuit upheld the district court’s ruling.

In May 2022, the parties agreed to pause the case while the 2022 Louisiana Supreme Court elections proceeded under the existing maps. A few months later, in July, the parties agreed to further delay and temporarily close the case so that they could attempt to negotiate a settlement. Despite many months of negotiations, the parties failed to reach a settlement and the plaintiffs reopened their case in July 2023. Litigation is ongoing.

Last updated: March 25, 2024 3:37 pm EST