Washington: The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments today in a high-stakes case that could reshape the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a cornerstone of civil rights law in America. The case focuses on Louisiana’s congressional redistricting plan, which followed the 2020 Census, and specifically questions whether the creation of a second Black-majority district in the state violates constitutional principles.
Louisiana’s Republican-controlled legislature initially drew a map with only one Black-majority district, despite the fact that Black residents constitute roughly one-third of the state’s population. Civil rights groups and Black voters challenged this arrangement, arguing that it diluted minority voting power. A federal court subsequently approved a revised map that added a second Black-majority district. However, this revised map faced legal opposition from 12 non-Black voters who claimed the map gave excessive weight to race, potentially violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. A three-judge federal panel sided with the challengers, declaring the map unconstitutional and setting the stage for the Supreme Court’s review.
At the heart of the case is Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits electoral practices that diminish the voting power of minority groups, regardless of intent. Civil rights advocates fear that the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, currently 6-3, may interpret the law in a way that further limits federal protections. This follows the 2013 decision that effectively ended federal oversight of election law changes in areas with histories of racial discrimination. A Supreme Court ruling is expected by June next year and could affect up to 19 congressional districts nationwide, potentially altering the political balance in key states.
Legal experts warn that a ruling against the revised Louisiana map could embolden efforts to implement more aggressive gerrymandering, disproportionately affecting minority representation and weakening voting power for communities of color. The case is being closely watched across the United States, as its outcome may redefine the legal boundaries for protecting racial equality in the electoral process and set a precedent for future voting rights litigation.