A federal court in Louisiana dismissed a newly redrawn congressional map on Tuesday, which included the state's second majority-black district. In a 2-1 decision, the judges determined that the new maps constituted an “impermissible racial gerrymander,” thereby violating the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The dismissal of the second majority-black district follows a lawsuit filed by a group of non-black voters against the state, alleging that the recent map was unconstitutional due to the consideration of race during its creation.
Louisiana's congressional maps have been subject to legal challenges for several years. In 2022, then-Governor John Bel Edwards vetoed maps that contained only one black-majority district, but his decision was overruled by the legislature. However, legal scrutiny prompted a court-ordered redraw, resulting in the inclusion of a second black-majority district, which was subsequently approved by Republican Governor Jeff Landry in January.
The proposed new map would have divided GOP Representative Garrett Graves' district, resulting in the formation of a district where 56% of the residents were black. The boundaries of this new district extended from northwest Louisiana down to East Baton Rouge.
The next course of action for the map remains uncertain as the 2024 elections draw near in November. The court has scheduled a hearing for next week to explore potential solutions.
