Thursday, October 16, 2025-The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to hear a pivotal case out of Louisiana that could drastically weaken the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The challenge focuses on whether the state’s new congressional map, which added a second Black-majority district, violates the Constitution by prioritizing race in its design.
The case arrives just months after Louisiana redrew its map following a lower court ruling that the previous version diluted Black voting power, a violation of federal law.
Civil rights groups warn that if the justices side with the challengers, the Court could effectively dismantle one of the key tools used to combat racial discrimination in elections. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, long used to ensure fair representation for minority voters, could be stripped of much of its power if the Court deems race-conscious mapmaking unconstitutional.
Lawyers representing non-Black voters argue the new map gives race “undue weight,” while supporters say it finally provides equitable political representation in a state where one-third of residents are Black.
The ruling, expected later this term, could reshape redistricting nationwide and determine how much authority states have to consider race when drawing political maps. A decision limiting Section 2’s reach would not only alter future elections but could also shift congressional control in states with large minority populations.
The outcome of this case will test whether the nation’s most important civil rights law still holds its original strength in protecting the power of the vote.
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