Particle.news
Download on the App Store
13 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

Supreme Court Orders Further Arguments in Louisiana Redistricting Case

The reargument order preserves the current two Black-majority districts for 2026 by deferring a ruling that will clarify how states must reconcile minority voting protections with the Constitution’s equal protection clause.

A woman looks at sample ballots while waiting at City Hall to cast her ballot for the upcoming presidential election as early voting begins in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., October 16, 2020. REUTERS/Kathleen Flynn/File Photo
The Supreme Court is seen, June 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
People gather outside of the United States Supreme Court following arguments heard in Louisiana v. Callais on March 24, 2025. Last year, Louisiana sent two Black representatives to Congress for the first time in almost three decades under a congressional map being challenged as unfair to the state’s non-Black residents. The Supreme Court heard that challenge in the latest case that could affect how states can consider race when creating legislative maps.
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas appears before swearing in Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General in the Oval Office at the White House on February 05, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Overview

  • The justices restored Louisiana v. Callais to the docket for additional oral arguments in the next term, with scheduling details to be issued soon.
  • The decision delays a final ruling and ensures the GOP-drawn map with two majority-Black districts remains in place for the 2026 congressional elections.
  • A group of 12 non-African American voters challenged the map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander under the equal protection clause.
  • Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the order, arguing that the court has a mandatory duty to resolve redistricting challenges promptly and limit race-based drawing.
  • The outcome will shape legal guidance on merging Voting Rights Act obligations with the 14th Amendment and could affect the balance of power in the House.