In an order dropped today by Justice Sam Alito, the Supreme Court has stopped a federal judge’s order for redrawn congressional maps.
The Court blocked a ruling by Obama-appointed judge Shelley Dick, in which she declared that Louisiana’s updated congressional maps must include a second majority-minority district. The Louisiana legislature had drawn a new map that kept the state at one majority-minority district, which is currently represented in U.S. House by Congressman Troy Carter.
BREAKING: #SCOTUS blocks lower-court order requiring re-redistricting in Louisiana to add another majority-minority Congressional seat. 3 lib justices dissent. Map likely to stand through 2022 elections. Doc: https://t.co/aaIqq1jccY
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) June 28, 2022
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Dick’s ruling utilized an interpretation of the Voting Rights Act that demanded a second majority-minority district. Activist groups had argued that because the state is one-third African-American, then one-third of the state’s six congressional districts must be majority-minority.
State Republicans argued that the Voting Rights Act prevents drawing congressional districts favoring one class or race over another.
The order comes a day before Dick was set to release her own re-drawn map, an act that is likely now moot based on the Supreme Court’s ruling.
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