Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to Reshape Congressional Districts Following Supreme Court Decision

Louisiana Governor Plans to Cancel Primary Election

On Wednesday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced his intention to cancel the upcoming primary election in May. This decision aims to enable state lawmakers to redraw congressional maps following a Supreme Court ruling against racially-based redistricting in the state.

House Republican candidates confirmed the cancellation of the May 16 primary, with an official announcement potentially set for Friday.

This move by the governor comes after a Supreme Court decision declared that majority-black districts in Louisiana were unconstitutional, essentially undermining significant portions of the Voting Rights Act.

The ruling, supported by the court’s conservative majority, suggested that race-based congressional districts constitute “unconstitutional gerrymandering.”

This landmark decision could inspire other Republican-led states to revise their congressional maps, likely aiming to bolster the chances of maintaining a Republican majority in the House.

Justice Alito, writing for the majority, noted, “Section II of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is meant to uphold the Constitution rather than conflict with it. Unfortunately, lower courts have sometimes interpreted this Court’s Section II precedent in a manner that forces states into discrimination based on the very race the Constitution prohibits.”

Alito elaborated on the conflicts that emerged when Louisiana reevaluated its congressional districts post-2020 Census. A federal judge previously determined that the state’s maps, which lacked additional black-majority districts, likely violated Article II.

When a new map, including those districts, was created, it faced challenges for being a racial gerrymander. Ultimately, a three-judge court ruled that this new map breached the Equal Protection Clause, leading the state to appeal the decision.

Alito reflected on the ongoing assumptions regarding race-based decision-making under the Voting Rights Act, acknowledging the complexities it introduces. He stated, “However, allowing race to influence government decisions diverges from constitutional standards that apply to nearly every other context.”