The nation’s highest court has declared Louisiana’s congressional district boundaries an illegal form of racial gerrymandering, delivering a Wednesday ruling that civil rights advocates say severely undermines voting protections for minorities.
While the Supreme Court chose to preserve Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Wednesday’s ruling effectively dismantles much of the historic legislation that emerged from the Civil Rights Movement and safeguarded minority communities’ collective electoral influence during redistricting processes.
The decision marks another significant blow to the landmark voting rights law, which has faced repeated challenges and restrictions in recent years as states redraw their political maps following the 2020 census.
