On Thursday, the Louisiana Legislature approved a revised congressional map that eliminates a majority-Black district, a move that follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s April ruling in Allen v. Milligan, which struck down the state’s previous map for diluting Black voting power. The new plan, passed by the state’s Republican-led legislature, replaces the 2nd Congressional District—historically represented by a Black Democrat—with a configuration that civil rights groups argue undermines the political influence of the state’s Black majority.
The 2nd District, which had been a focal point of voting rights litigation for decades, was redrawn under a 2021 map that federal courts later deemed discriminatory. The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Milligan upheld a lower court’s finding that the map violated the Voting Rights Act by “cracking” Black voters across multiple districts. The ruling required Louisiana to create a second majority-Black district, but the newly approved map does not include such a district, instead consolidating Black voters into a single, more compact district that analysts say is less likely to elect a Black representative.
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State officials defended the map as a compliance measure with the Supreme Court’s instructions, emphasizing that it adheres to federal law. “This map reflects the will of the people and the legal standards set by the Court,” said Rep. James Taylor (R), a key architect of the plan. However, the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus condemned the decision, with Chairwoman Valarie Hodges stating, “This is a clear attempt to suppress Black political power under the guise of compliance.”
The shift has intensified scrutiny over the state’s redistricting process, which has long been criticized for entrenching racial and partisan disparities. The new map, which will take effect for the 2024 elections, has already drawn lawsuits from civil rights organizations, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which alleges the plan “systematically disempowers Black voters.” A federal court hearing is scheduled for late June, though the outcome remains uncertain.
The controversy underscores broader tensions over voting rights in the South, where states have increasingly used redistricting to reshape electoral landscapes. Louisiana’s move comes as several other Southern states face litigation over maps that critics say dilute minority influence. The Supreme Court’s Milligan decision, while a setback for some state legislatures, has also been interpreted by others as a narrow ruling that leaves room for contested interpretations of the Voting Rights Act.
As the legal battles unfold, the fate of the new map—and its impact on Louisiana’s Black electorate—remains unresolved. The state’s next congressional elections, set for 2024, will serve as a critical test of whether the revised boundaries succeed in altering the political calculus for Black voters.
