Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Civil Rights Groups, Paving the Way for Second Majority-Black Congressional District in Louisiana for 2024 Election

The Supreme Court has ruled against Louisiana Republicans in a bid to reverse a lower court ruling that ordered the state to redraw its congressional map. The ruling paves the way for a second majority-Black congressional district to be created in time for the 2024 election.

In a brief unsigned order, the Supreme Court lifted a stay that had been in place for nearly one year, which had put on hold a federal district court ruling ordering Louisiana Republicans to redraw the state’s congressional voting boundaries before the 2022 midterm elections. The ruling would create a second district that gives Black voters the opportunity to elect their preferred candidate.

The Supreme Court denied Louisiana’s attempt to take a shortcut by going right to the Supreme Court, though the Court had let the gerrymandered map stand for the 2022 midterms, despite the lower court finding. The brief Supreme Court order said that the matter would proceed before the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for review in the ordinary course and in advance of the 2024 congressional elections in Louisiana.

The ruling is a victory for civil rights groups, who argued that the current map was a form of racial gerrymandering. The current map was drawn in 2011, and has been in place since then. The new map will be drawn with the help of an independent redistricting expert, who will be appointed by the federal court.

The Supreme Court’s ruling is a major step forward in ensuring that all citizens in Louisiana have an equal opportunity to elect their preferred candidate. The ruling is also a reminder that the Supreme Court will not tolerate attempts to circumvent the judicial process.