Article Summary
The Louisiana Legislature has passed a congressional map with a second majority-Black district, following a nearly two-year legal and political battle. Democrats have long argued for a second majority-minority district among Louisiana’s six congressional districts, claiming that the 2022 GOP-controlled map discriminated against Black voters, who make up one-third of Louisiana’s population. The new map received bipartisan support due to the looming Jan. 30 court-mandated deadline and fears that a federal judge would redraw the map if not completed by lawmakers. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to approve the new map.
Second Majority-Black District Passed by Louisiana Legislature
The Louisiana Legislature has passed a congressional map with a second majority-Black district, a significant victory for Democrats and civil rights groups after a near two-year legal battle and political conflict. The new structure could potentially grant an extra congressional seat to the Democratic Party.
This change comes after Democrats have advocated for a second majority-minority district in Louisiana’s six congressional zones, contending that the political borders set by the Republican-led legislature in 2022 disenfranchised Black voters, who comprise a third of the state’s populace.
In a reversal this special legislative session, the map gained bipartisan support following Republican claims that a court-mandated deadline and apprehensions about a federal judge redrawing the map compelled them to change their stance.
Learn More: Implications of Louisiana’s voting map controversy
The legislation now proceeds to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry for anticipated approval. Landry has insisted on adopting a new map that complies with the court to avoid a federal judge’s intervention.
Under the updated map, the district currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Garret Graves would have a 54 percent Black voting-age populace, a significant increase from the current 23 percent. Notably, Graves opposes this plan.
The GOP’s Glen Womack, who introduced the legislation, asserted that the new boundaries prioritised political considerations over racial factors. The protection of the seats of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and Congresswoman Julia Letlow was a primary focus, according to Womack.
The previously used 2022 map had only one majority-Black district, represented by U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, the state’s only Black and Democratic Congress member.
This map has been a central point of political discord in the state Capitol, with a historic veto override by the Legislature after the former Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ vetoed the political borders.
In June 2022, U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick ruled that Louisiana’s map violated the Voting Rights Act, citing “evidence of Louisiana’s long and ongoing history of voting-related discrimination.”
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