States United Responds to U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Louisiana v. Callais
Decision Guts Voting Rights Act Protections for Fair Maps and Equal Representation
WASHINGTON — The States United Democracy Center released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais.
Joanna Lydgate, CEO of the States United Democracy Center:
“Today, the U.S. Supreme Court further gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is a long-standing cornerstone of our democracy that protects voters from racially discriminatory election practices. Congress passed it with broad bipartisan support to ensure that members of every racial group have equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.
Though the court did not strike down Section 2, the decision reversed decades-long legal understanding of what is considered racially discriminatory redistricting. In doing so, the court created a new standard for challenging racially discriminatory maps that ignores the long history of racial discrimination and structural inequalities that persist to this day. The court now requires strong evidence of intentional racial discrimination by the legislature—a standard that under this and other recent decisions will be very difficult to meet.
While the court technically left Section 2 in place, this ruling means that anyone looking to invoke Section 2 to ensure fair maps will be facing a Herculean task.
Our government only works when its leaders equally represent the American people. This decision will not just hurt Black voters in Louisiana, but all voters who expect accountability from their representatives.”
A summary of the case is available here. States United filed an amicus brief in the case on behalf of former Republican Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger (CA), Marc Racicot (MT), William F. Weld (MA), and Christine Todd Whitman (NJ). The brief urged the Supreme Court to preserve states’ ability to draw majority-minority districts to remedy violations of the VRA and ensure equal representation.
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About the States United Democracy Center
States United is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the rule of law and free, fair, secure elections. We provide direct support to state officials and law enforcement leaders as they uphold the law and our system of checks and balances, protect public safety, defend elections, and preserve our democracy. For more information, visit statesunited.org.