Louisiana lawmakers pass map eliminating one majority-Black district
The Story
Republicans in the Louisiana legislature have approved a new congressional map that dismantles one of the state’s two majority-Black districts, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The map was passed days before early voting was set to begin, and after tens of thousands of voters had already returned mail ballots. Governor Jeff Landry pushed to delay the House primary elections from May 16 to November 3 to allow for the redrawing.
Key Facts
- Louisiana lawmakers approved a new congressional map that eliminates one majority-Black district that ran from Baton Rouge to Shreveport.
- The previous map was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in a decision that limited Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to only protect against lines drawn with discriminatory intent.
- Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order delaying the state’s House primaries, now set for November 3.
- The new map contains one majority-Black district covering most of New Orleans and extending into predominantly Black neighborhoods in Baton Rouge.
- Baton Rouge’s Black population is split between two districts, and Shreveport is absorbed into northwest Louisiana.
- Democratic Representative Cleo Fields currently represents the Baton Rouge-based district; Democratic Representative Troy Carter represents the New Orleans-based district.
- Louisiana is the latest Southern state to redraw maps following the Supreme Court ruling; Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi have also taken or planned similar steps.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Jeff Landry, Governor of Louisiana (Republican)
- Cleo Fields, U.S. Representative (Democrat)
- Troy Carter, U.S. Representative (Democrat)
- Mike Johnson, U.S. House Speaker (Republican)
- Steve Scalise, U.S. House Majority Leader (Republican)
- Donald Trump, former U.S. President
Sources: NPR
