Louisiana claims supreme court voting rights decision means it cannot carry out primaries with current electoral maps – live | US voting rights
Louisiana postpones May primary after supreme court rules state must redraw congressional maps
Louisiana moved to postpone the May primary on Thursday, as other southern states also seek to redraw congressional districts in response to the Supreme Court’s decision on Wednesday, which severely weakened the landmark Voting Rights Act.
Before the Supreme Court’s decision struck down basic protections against racial discrimination in drawing voting maps, some states had already begun processes to redraw districts and eliminate Black voting rights. As governors call for special sessions to redraw congressional districts, possibly before midterm elections in November, more states have now followed that suggestion.
governor of louisiana Jeff Landry and attorney general Liz MurrillBoth Republicans said in a joint statement that the state could no longer use its existing districts to hold primaries after the high court ruling. Early voting was scheduled to begin on the Saturday before the May 16 primary election.
“The state is currently prohibited from holding congressional elections under the current map,” Landry and Murrill said in a statement on social media Thursday. “We are working with the Legislature and the Secretary of State’s office to develop a path forward.”
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Here is the rest of the statement from the Louisiana attorney general Liz Murrill and Republican governor Jeff Landry:
Yesterday’s historic Supreme Court victory for Louisiana had a direct consequence for the State. The Supreme Court had previously lifted an injunction against the state’s implementation of the current Congressional map. However, with the decision of the Court, this detention automatically ended with yesterday’s decision. Accordingly, the State is currently prohibited from holding congressional elections under the current map. We are working with the Legislature and the Secretary of State’s office to develop a path forward.
Louisiana postpones May primary after supreme court rules state must redraw congressional maps
Louisiana moved to postpone the May primary on Thursday, as other southern states also seek to redraw congressional districts in response to the Supreme Court’s decision on Wednesday, which severely weakened the landmark Voting Rights Act.
Before the Supreme Court’s decision struck down basic protections against racial discrimination in drawing voting maps, some states had already begun processes to redraw districts and eliminate Black voting rights. As governors call for special sessions to redraw congressional districts, possibly before midterm elections in November, more states have now followed that suggestion.
governor of louisiana Jeff Landry and attorney general Liz MurrillBoth Republicans said in a joint statement that the state could no longer use its existing districts to hold primaries after the high court ruling. Early voting was scheduled to begin on the Saturday before the May 16 primary election.
“The state is currently prohibited from holding congressional elections under the current map,” Landry and Murrill said in a statement on social media Thursday. “We are working with the Legislature and the Secretary of State’s office to develop a path forward.”
