The Supreme Court decided 6-3 to further strike down Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, declaring one of Louisiana’s majority-Black congressional districts unconstitutionally gerrymandered based on race.
The six conservative justices ruled against the three liberal justices in this decision.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority, saying, “Because the Voting Rights Act did not require Louisiana to create an additional majority-minority district, no compelling interest justified the State’s use of race. That map is an unconstitutional gerrymander, and its use would violate the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights.”
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in voting. Rep. Cleo Fields, the Louisiana congressman affected by the ruling, and Justice Elena Kagan stated the majority’s decision “dilutes” minority political representation.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling this morning is a grave setback to voting rights and to the promise of equal political representation for all Americans… The Voting Rights Act was born from the blood of the civil rights movement and the sacrifices of generations who fought for the ballot,” Fields said in a statement.
With midterms around the corner, seven states are pushing for mid-decade redistricting to help Republicans and Democrats win the House of Representatives in the November midterm election.
Typically, the federal government conducts a census every decade, which dictates each state’s population. Depending on population changes, states will gain or lose House seats. For example, Louisiana used to have seven seats in the House. Since the 2010 census, however, the state has only had six seats.
There are 435 seats in the House, and currently, Republicans hold a narrow 217-212 advantage over Democrats. There is one independent and five vacancies due to death or resignation. Most polling places and political pundits predict Democrats to win a sizable majority in November.
Since last year, Republicans have pushed for mid-decade redistricting to prevent a forecasted loss in the House this November. President Donald Trump specifically called for states such as Texas, Florida and other red states to conduct redistricting and gerrymander districts in favor of Republicans.
Gerrymandering, believed to have started in the 19th century in Massachusetts, allows politicians to choose their voters by drawing congressional maps to include populations likely to vote for a given party. As a result of gerrymandering, the resulting maps appear distorted and outcomes are guaranteed.
Politicians gerrymander by packing a district, or drawing a map to represent one party overwhelmingly over another, or artificially including a majority Democratic or Republican district with the opposite party’s voters. This is known as cracking a district.
The Supreme Court’s voting rights decision will help Republicans in their redistricting efforts, as majority-Black districts overwhelmingly vote for Democrats.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law in August 2025 to redistrict the state’s map and provide Republicans with five additional seats.
In response to Texas’ actions, California voters approved an initiative to suspend the use of an independent commission to draw congressional districts and to adopt a new map for the 2026 elections that would likely give Democrats five additional congressional seats.
In late April, Virginia voters approved a redistricting measure that passed by three percentage points. If Virginia were to be successful in redistricting, Republicans would go from having five seats to only one.
Even though the redistricting vote was successful, Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. declared the referendum unlawful.
Because of the ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, Louisiana is under pressure to redraw its maps. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order suspending the upcoming May 16 congressional primary election, prompting a class-action federal lawsuit calling to restore the election.
If the proposed maps were approved, Democrats could lose one seat in Congress.
Louisiana has one of the highest percentages of Black residents, at about 31%. New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport hold the highest Black populations in Louisiana. With the ruling, the decision significantly weakens Black political representation by reducing Black voting power across the South and limiting their candidates of choice to only one of the state’s six districts.
In total, seven states—California, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, Utah and North Carolina — have successfully implemented new congressional maps for the 2026 midterms. Several more have redistricting efforts underway, are considering redistricting or have considered redistricting.
While the congressional elections have been suspended, all other races, including the U.S. Senate and local races, are still underway. Early voting is from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, through Saturday, May 9, except on Sunday, May 3. The official election is Saturday, May 16. Visit the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website for information on polling places.
