Particle.news
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

Supreme Court Orders Rearguments in Louisiana Redistricting Dispute

It keeps the contested two-majority-Black district map in place pending fresh court debate on the role of race in drawing Louisiana’s congressional lines

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.
Image

Overview

  • The Supreme Court has restored the case for reargument, keeping the disputed six-district map in effect while justices reconsider its legality.
  • Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the order, urging the court to decide the challenge without further argument.
  • The contested map followed a 2022 Voting Rights Act judgment by Judge Shelly Dick that mandated a second Black-majority district to remedy vote dilution.
  • In April 2024, a lower court held that Louisiana relied too heavily on race in drawing the new district lines, invalidating the remedial map.
  • Louisiana officials argued the redrawn plan complied with federal voting laws and protected Republican incumbents including Speaker Mike Johnson, and the outcome could shape the 2026 House majority.