Supreme Court Declines to Intervene in Louisiana Congressional Map Dispute

In a decision that could potentially delay the implementation of a new map in Louisiana, the Supreme Court has declined to intervene in a congressional map dispute. This dispute centers around the possibility of creating a district that would enhance the power of Black voters in the state. The court’s order may be disappointing to critics who argue that conservative-led states are attempting to stall court orders for new maps that could disrupt the balance of power in the House of Representatives in the upcoming elections.

No dissents were noted in the court’s decision. However, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a liberal justice, wrote a brief concurrence stating that while she agreed with the court’s denial, the decision is temporary, leaving open the possibility for the court to intervene at a later date.

Earlier this year, a district court judge had ordered the redrawing of Louisiana’s congressional map, which currently has only one Black-majority district out of a total of six districts, despite a Black population of 33% in the state. The order mandated the creation of a second Black-majority district.

However, after several months of litigation, a federal appeals court issued an order canceling a scheduled hearing to discuss proposals for the new map. The court’s decision was made to provide the state with additional time to propose alternative maps. The NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund requested the Supreme Court to lift this order, but the court declined to do so.

This case is one among several that have come before the Supreme Court in recent months, all involving race and congressional representation. These cases have significant implications for which political party will control the House of Representatives after the upcoming elections.

The Louisiana challenge is currently progressing on two fronts. The district court is seeking to address a Voting Rights violation, while a federal appeals court is considering whether to stay the district court’s ruling.

In August, the district court judge overseeing the case scheduled a hearing for early October with the aim of selecting a new congressional map for the state. However, Republican officials sought a delay by appealing to a federal appeals court. The appeals court panel agreed to postpone the hearing, citing the state’s purported lack of sufficient time to propose new maps.

Lawyers representing the civil rights group, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, appealed to the Supreme Court, urging them to reverse the appeals court’s order. They argued that the Louisiana Legislature had already been given multiple opportunities to enact a new map but failed to do so.

The story is still developing, and additional updates are expected.