The Supreme Court refuses to speed the drawing of a new congressional map in Louisiana
WASHINGTON (AP) — The on Thursday rejected an emergency appeal from Black voters in Louisiana to speed the process of drawing new congressional districts in the state.
The justices declined to overrule a federal appeals court, which last month Supreme Court rebuffed attempts by Alabama officials to avoid creating a second district where Black voters make up a substantial portion of the electorate.
Dick and judges in Alabama had ruled that congressional maps drawn by Republican-led legislatures after the 2020 census and used in last year’s elections likely violated the Voting Rights Act by diminishing Black voting power.
Louisiana officials have said they won’t take any action until their appeal of Dick’s original ruling is decided. That case is pending before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
No justice publicly dissented. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote that she believes Dick can resume the work on new maps while the appeal is pending.
But the state attorney general’s office and Jared Evans, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, both said the judge set a Feb. 5 remedial hearing during a Tuesday status conference. They said the timing of the hearing could be affected by what the panel of three 5th Circuit judges decides.
In June,