Current:Home > FinanceJudge: Louisiana legislative districts dilute Black voting strength, violate the Voting Rights Act-InfoLens
Judge: Louisiana legislative districts dilute Black voting strength, violate the Voting Rights Act
View Date:2024-12-23 11:20:03
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New state House and Senate boundary lines drawn up by the Louisiana Legislature in 2022 dilute Black voting strength in violation of the U.S. Voting Rights Act, a federal judge in Baton Rouge ruled Thursday.
U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick’s ruling blocked the use of the House and Senate district maps in future elections and gave the state “a reasonable period of time, to be determined by the Court” to draw up new districts. The order comes weeks after the Legislature passed a congressional map with a second majority-Black district, in part as a result of litigation over which she presided.
Dick’s filing noted that the state’s voting-age population is about 33% Black. But only 11 of 39 state Senate districts and 29 of 105 House districts are predominantly Black — less than a third in each case.
In a document accompanying the ruling, she pointed to “illustrative plans” suggested by plaintiffs who challenged the new districts that would increase majority-minority Senate districts to 14 and House districts to 35.
Dick did not order that the plaintiffs’ illustrative plans be adopted, but said the existing districts could not stand, ruling that “the Enacted Maps do not afford an equal opportunity for Black voters to elect preferred candidates.”
New maps could affect a legislative balance of power that now overwhelmingly favors Republicans in a state where the GOP is dominant. New Gov. Jeff Landry is a Republican who regained the top government job for the party after it was held for two terms by a Democrat. Republicans hold more than two-thirds of the seats in each legislative chamber — veto-proof majorities. A new map with more Black districts could dent that majority, as Black voters traditionally have been more likely to favor Democrats.
“This decision sets a powerful precedent for challenging discriminatory redistricting efforts across the nation, confirming that attempts to dilute Black communities’ votes and their power will not be tolerated,” said Megan Keenan, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project. The ACLU was part of a coalition of voters and organizations that challenged the maps.
veryGood! (47)
Related
- Queen Bey and Yale: The Ivy League university is set to offer a course on Beyoncé and her legacy
- 'Factually and legally irresponsible': Hawaiian Electric declines allegations for causing deadly Maui fires
- Bachelor Nation's Hannah Brown Engaged to Adam Woolard
- Hilarie Burton Accuses One Tree Hill Boss of This Creepy Behavior on Set
- 'Yellowstone's powerful opening: What happened to Kevin Costner's John Dutton?
- Fans run onto field and make contact with Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr.
- Wisconsin Supreme Court chief justice accuses liberal majority of staging a ‘coup’
- Leon Panetta on the fate of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin: If you cross Putin, the likelihood is you're going to die
- The NBA Cup is here. We ranked the best group stage games each night
- Kim calls for North Korean military to be constantly ready to smash US-led invasion plot
Ranking
- When do new 'Yellowstone' episodes come out? Here's the Season 5, Part 2 episode schedule
- U.S. fines American Airlines for dozens of long tarmac delays
- Collaborative effort helps US men's basketball cruise past Greece, into World Cup second round
- Tropical Storm Idalia set to become hurricane as Florida schools close, DeSantis expands state of emergency
- Will Trump’s hush money conviction stand? A judge will rule on the president-elect’s immunity claim
- When it comes to the Hollywood strikes, it’s not just the entertainment industry that’s being hurt
- Simone Biles' record eighth US gymnastics title will be one to remember
- Case against Robert Crimo Jr., father of Highland Park parade shooting suspect, can go forward, judge rules
Recommendation
-
Veterans face challenges starting small businesses but there are plenty of resources to help
-
3M agrees to pay $6 billion to settle earplug lawsuits from U.S. service members
-
Shakira to receive Video Vanguard Award, perform at MTV VMAs for first time in 17 years
-
Louisiana's Tiger Island Fire, largest in state's history, doubles in size
-
Massachusetts lawmakers to consider a soccer stadium for the New England Revolution
-
How Chadwick Boseman's Private Love Story Added Another Layer to His Legacy
-
8 U.S. Marines in Australian hospital after Osprey crash that killed 3
-
NASA releases first U.S. pollution map images from new instrument launched to space: Game-changing data