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The Supreme Court says its ruling striking down the state's congressional map - a move opponents say limits a principal part of the Voting Rights Act - can go into effect immediately. That means Republicans can likely get to work now in Louisiana redrawing congressional districts.
The high court's ruling last week invalidated a map adopted by the Louisiana Legislature in 2024, which created two majority-Black districts after two lower courts ruled that an earlier map with just one majority-Black district likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which bars racial discrimination in voting.
The court usually allows a month before decisions take effect to give the opposing side a chance to request another hearing.
Since the court made its initial ruling on April 29th, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has temporarily suspended the planned May primary in order to give his party a chance to redraw the maps to potentially pick up one or two seats.
The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus is joining a lawsuit over the suspended congressional elections this month. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim the suspension is unconstitutional because mail-in voting had already started.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields says voters should vote in every race on the ballot.
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