The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to issue its verdict on Louisiana’s new congressional map – a contest between the state’s aim to correct historical minority‐voter dilution and challenges over whether race was the central criterion in its design. Louisiana’s Republican legislature approved a map in January 2024 that increased Black‐majority districts from one to two, intending to comply with the Voting Rights Act after a 2022 district court found the prior map likely diluted Black voting strength. Yet, opponents – 12 non‑Black voters, argue the redrawing “prioritises race” and breaches the Equal Protection Clause, prompting a 2‑1 block by a lower court in April 2024.
During oral arguments on 24 March 2025, the justices probed the state’s rationale. Louisiana’s solicitor general defended the map as both a legal remedy and a guard for incumbents such as Speaker Mike Johnson and Steve Scalise. Conservative justices, however, voiced concern that race may have been the “primary motivation” and criticised the district’s unusual shape that stretches across the state. They questioned whether the legislature responded to the lower court’s VRA directive or if it engineered a “racial gerrymander” for political advantage.
A ruling upholding the map would mark a significant affirmation of race-conscious redistricting when used to remedy past voter dilution. It could also influence the strategic redrawing of districts in other states by decades. Conversely, striking it down may restrict the permissible use of race in redistricting and narrow the scope for future Voting Rights Act remedies, making it more difficult to secure second Black‐majority districts.
As part of its final decisions before recess, the Court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause in this case could reshape not just Louisiana’s political map but also national redistricting principles and future Voting Rights Act litigation. A ruling is expected today, 27 June 2025.
