Six Louisiana voters supported by the National Redistricting Action Fund are asking the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge to establish a process that ensures new congressional district lines are in place ahead of the 2022 elections.
Voting on largely partisan lines, the Republican majority in the Louisiana Legislature approved a bill that redrew the district lines for the six congressional districts in a way that White voters dominated the five districts that have elected GOP congresspeople and one district with a majority made up by Black voters. The new maps, which will entrench Republican domination for another decade, were similar to the ones drafted 10 years ago.
But Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards last vetoed those new districts pointing out that the U.S. Census showed that a third of the state’s population is now made up of African Americans, therefore deserving of second minority-majority congressional district.
The lawsuit was not unexpected. The voters making the challenge point out that the Louisiana Legislature is unlikely to be able to overturn Edwards’ veto.
“Known as “impasse litigation,” the purpose of this lawsuit is to ask the court to create new maps that reflect the state’s population changes and create districts composed of roughly equal number of people, allowing the 2022 election cycle to continue as scheduled,” stated the National Redistricting Action Fund press release.
Qualifying for the Nov. 8 primary elections is July 20 to July 22.
Gov. John Bel Edwards on Wednesday night vetoed the congressional redistricting map passed by the Republican-majority Legislature, saying it s…
The National Redistricting Action Fund is affiliated with the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
“Instead of pursuing a fair map, the Louisiana Legislature arrogantly chose to endorse an unjust status quo, passing a map that continues to dilute the voting power of Black Louisianans and keeps them from having legally mandated representation in Congress,” said former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. “The court must now step in and establish a schedule that will enable it to adopt a remedial congressional plan based on 2020 Census data. Louisiana voters deserve the opportunity to elect representatives of their choice - in this cycle - with districts drawn to reflect the diverse make-up of the state.”
The voters include a former executive director for the Louisiana Democratic Party, a state representative, a lawyer, as well as lobbyists for environmental causes and utility company watchdogs.
During Louisiana’s recent redistricting session, Black Democrats sought time and time again to right the wrongs of the Jim Crow era by creatin…
