Overview
- The Court, ruling 6-3 Wednesday with Justice Samuel Alito writing, said Louisiana’s second majority-Black district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
- The majority held that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act did not require creating a second majority-minority district, signaling that plaintiffs must generally show discriminatory intent.
- Justice Elena Kagan dissented and warned the decision will weaken protections that have helped cohesive minority communities elect candidates of their choice.
- Louisiana must redraw its districts, and Republicans in other states could try new maps, though tight primary calendars make large changes before the 2026 elections uncertain.
- In a separate Tuesday decision, a Wisconsin three-judge panel dismissed a congressional-map challenge under state law, highlighting how map fights are advancing on very different legal tracks.