Supreme Court Signals Intent To Weaken Voting Rights Act In Louisiana Case
Key Takeaways
- The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case concerning Louisiana's congressional map, which has become a major challenge to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
- The central legal question is whether requiring Louisiana to create a second majority-Black district violates the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and 15th Amendment.
- Conservative justices signaled sympathy toward invalidating the second majority-Black district, suggesting they may weaken or overturn Section 2 protections against racially discriminatory voting practices.
- Weakening Section 2 would grant GOP-controlled states greater latitude to draw districts that dilute minority votes, potentially cementing Republican House control.
- A ruling is expected before June 2026, which will determine if a new map is implemented for the 2026 midterm elections.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a critical voting rights case stemming from a dispute over Louisianaâs congressional map, which now carries the significant implication of deciding the legality of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Initially, the dispute centered on whether the state's map diluted Black votes, leading to a second map with two majority-Black districts, which then faced a challenge from non-Black voters alleging racial gerrymandering. The Court expanded the argument to question whether mandating a second majority-Black district violates the Equal Protection Clause and the 15th Amendment. During arguments, the conservative majority hinted at being inclined to strike down the second district, suggesting they view racial protections as needing an "end point," which would substantially weaken Section 2. If Section 2 is weakened, GOP-controlled states would gain more power to draw maps diluting minority votes, likely benefiting Republicans in future elections. A ruling is expected before the end of the Court's term in June 2026, potentially impacting the 2026 midterms.
