US Supreme Court blocks Louisiana’s electoral district redistricting
The US Supreme Court has put a stop to the redistricting in Louisiana. A judge previously ruled that the constituencies had to be adjusted, because black voters would be disadvantaged. The Supreme Court has now reversed that adjustment. American media calls it one groundbreaking statement which could have major consequences for the rest of the country.
By six votes to three, that of the conservative justices against their liberal counterparts, the Supreme Court has ruled that the state of Louisiana does not have the right to create a second electoral district with predominantly African-American residents.
In his ruling, conservative judge Samuel Alito calls the constituency “unconstitutionally divided, which would violate the rights of the (white, ed.) complainants.” The judgment speaks for the majority of the Supreme Court.
The statement is seen as one clap for the Voting Rights Act, which voters must protect against discrimination when composing constituencies. According to that law, when redrawing electoral districts, often called “gerrymandering”, the impact on minorities must be specifically taken into account.
In the 1960s, Voting Rights represented a historic step forward for minority rights during the time of segregation in the American South. According to liberal judge Elana Kagan, “the verdict will undermine the fundamental right to equality between races.”
For the past decade, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court has been gradually gutting the Voting Rights Act. According to the liberal judge Kagan, “one of the last important provisions of that law is now a dead letter”.
A group of mostly white voters challenged this in Louisiana, stating that this approach actually led to discrimination. The Supreme Court agrees.
It is not clear how much impact the ruling could have on the midterm elections in November. A situation could potentially arise in which states quickly divide new constituencies in order to take advantage of them.
Political experts argue that the ruling in the long term is especially positive for Republicans. This means they have less to take into account minorities, who more often vote for Democrats.
“All of Louisiana’s black representatives in Congress were elected in constituencies created through the Voting Rights Act,” said attorney for the new district, Janai Nelson. According to her, “the weakening of the Voting Rights Act will have catastrophic consequences.”
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer calls the ruling a “devastating blow”. In a statement, he wrote that the Supreme Court “has turned its back on one of the most sacred promises in American democracy: the promise that every vote counts.” He added that the ruling would lead to “less protection for voters and more power for politicians.”
