Louisiana lawmakers have been granted an extension until the end of January to draw and pass new congressional boundaries, replacing a map that has been deemed discriminatory towards Black voters. U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick issued the two-week extension, giving lawmakers extra time to construct a new map following a ruling that the current one violates the Voting Rights Act. The new redistricting deadline is now set for January 30.
Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards has stated that he will not call lawmakers back to Baton Rouge to draw a new map. However, the extension will allow incoming Republican Governor-elect Jeff Landry the opportunity to call a special redistricting session after his inauguration on January 8. Alternatively, the outgoing Senate President and House Speaker can convene a session with the support of a majority of legislators, although they have shown little interest in doing so.
The current congressional map, which was used in the November election, has white majorities in five out of six districts, despite Black people comprising one-third of Louisiana’s population. Democrats argue that the map discriminates against Black voters and contend that there should be two majority-minority districts. Republicans, on the other hand, argue that the map is fair and that Black populations in the state are too dispersed to be united into a second majority Black district.
If the Legislature does not pass a new map by the extended deadline, the lower district court will hold a trial to decide on a plan for the 2024 elections. This trial would begin on February 5.
The redistricting process in Louisiana has been a long and contentious battle, with multiple legal challenges and political maneuvering. Judge Dick struck down the current map in June 2022 for violating the Voting Rights Act, ordering that it be redrawn to include a second majority-Black district. The U.S. Court of Appeals set the original deadline for completing the new map as January 15, but Judge Dick has now granted a limited extension.
It remains to be seen if lawmakers will be able to reach a consensus on a new congressional map, given the divisive nature of the issue. The outcome of this redistricting process could have significant implications for representation and political power in Louisiana.
