Supreme Court orders Louisiana to redraw congressional map.

Supreme Court Rules Congressional Map May Need Redrawing

The U.S. Supreme Court made a significant ruling on Monday, stating that another congressional map may have to be redrawn due to claims of inappropriate dilution of black voters’ influence in the state.

“The writ of certiorari before judgment is dismissed as improvidently granted. The stay heretofore entered by the Court on June 28, 2022, is vacated,” the court wrote in a statement (pdf). The court emphasized the need to resolve the case before the congressional elections in Louisiana scheduled for November 2024. They stated, “This will allow the matter to proceed before the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for review in the ordinary course and in advance of the 2024 congressional elections in Louisiana.”

It’s unclear if there were any dissents, as the order was unsigned.

Last year, the justices had put the case on hold pending their ruling in a similar case from Alabama, which they issued on June 8. In that case, they dismissed the appeal by Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin regarding a federal judge’s decision that the map drawn by the Republican-led state legislature of the House districts likely discriminated unlawfully based on race.

U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick had directed Louisiana’s legislature to create two new districts last year.