Supreme Court Clears Louisiana Congressional Map with Two Majority-Black Districts, Benefiting Democrats, for November 5 Elections

May 15, 2024, 09:33 PM

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for Louisiana to use a congressional map with two majority-Black districts in the 2024 elections, benefiting Democrats and Black voters. This decision overturns a lower court ruling that had deemed the map an illegal racial gerrymander. The ruling, which was decided along ideological lines with a 6-3 vote, has significant implications for the closely contested November 5 election, potentially affecting the balance of power in the US House of Representatives. The three liberal justices, including Justice Jackson who wrote a dissent joined by Sotomayor, publicly disagreed with the decision, expressing concerns about the expansion of the Purcell principle.