This story was updated on Monday, Jan. 12, to include the Supreme Court’s decision not to expedite a ruling before the 2026 midterm elections.
A legal battle over Louisiana’s congressional maps has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, prompting a new examination of the Voting Rights Act’s protections for minorities and districts nearly 60 years after its passage.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law on Aug. 6, 1965. The law aimed to remove barriers that prevented African Americans from voting in many parts of the country. The act banned literacy tests and outlawed poll taxes, among other restrictions that infringed on voting rights.
The act also authorized federal examiners to oversee elections. The 15th Amendment was enforced through this and increased voter participation tremendously among Black Americans.
A key part of this act is Section 2. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, it prohibits the use of practices or procedures that result in limitations on the right to vote based on race, color or membership in one of the minority groups listed in Section 4(f)(2) of the act.
This section has been used in numerous court cases to challenge district maps or election systems that may dilute the voting strength of minority groups. Section 2 applies nationwide and does not require federal approval for voting changes beforehand.
Presently, the Supreme Court is considering Louisiana v. Callais, a case involving the state’s congressional redistricting plan drawn after the 2020 census. Black residents in the state make up about one-third of the population. The original plan included only one majority-Black district among six. A federal district court found that the plan likely violated Section 2, due to the dilution of voting strength and ordered a redraw to include a second majority-Black district.
“The Constitution requires a national census every 10 years to reapportion political power to where people live. In 2020, the census the legislature drew only had one majority-minority district, resulting in five Republican and one Democratic congresspersons,” said Dr. Peter Petrakis, associate professor of history and political science at Southeastern.
In response, the Louisiana legislature adopted a new map in 2024 that included two majority-Black districts. Another group of voters argued that this violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and is now considering whether to create another majority-Black district in compliance with Section 2, or raise concerns related to race-based redistricting.
Because the Court did not issue a ruling before the most recent terms ending, it chose to rehear the case instead of deciding it. The Supreme Court’s decision could have major implications for redistricting going forward.
This decision could include legalizing racial gerrymandering, a practice intended to dilute the voting power of a racial group. The outcome could erode minority voting rights and protections, altering the party composition across the country. Republicans could gain several seats if the Supreme Court overturns Section 2.
According to the latest developments, Louisiana will use its six existing congressional districts for the 2026 midterm elections after the Supreme Court declined to expedite a ruling before the primaries.
Ultimately, the Court’s decision is expected to come in the spring or summer of this year and could reshape the law and congressional power.
