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Supreme Court Conservatives Poised to Further Gut the Voting Rights Act

October 20, 2025

The Supreme Court is poised to potentially weaken the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act in an upcoming Louisiana redistricting case to be argued Wednesday, signaling a possible reversal of its 2023 decision that preserved race-based remedies. The Court has expanded the legal question to directly address whether VRA remedies tied to race might violate constitutional equal protection guarantees. This case centers on a dispute over Louisiana's congressional districts and whether a second majority-Black district should be created in a state where approximately one-third of residents are African American.

Who is affected

  • Black voters and other racial minorities across the country who rely on VRA protections to ensure fair representation
  • Louisiana residents, particularly Black voters who make up about one-third of the state's population
  • Congressional candidates in Louisiana's 2026 midterm elections
  • Republican incumbents in Louisiana, including House Speaker Mike Johnson
  • States involved in redistricting battles across the country
  • Voters in states with significant minority populations where race-conscious districting has been used

What action is being taken

  • The Supreme Court is hearing new arguments in the Louisiana redistricting case on Wednesday after failing to resolve it in the previous term
  • The Court has expanded the legal question to directly confront whether Voting Rights Act remedies tied to race might violate the Constitution
  • The Trump administration is actively advocating to curb the power of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
  • The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, through president Janai Nelson, is defending race-conscious remedies in redistricting
  • Republican-led states are engaging in a new round of partisan gerrymandering following urging from former President Trump

Why it matters

  • The decision could fundamentally alter how congressional and legislative districts are drawn across the country
  • A ruling against race-conscious redistricting would further weaken the Voting Rights Act after the Court's previous 2013 Shelby County decision
  • In Southern Republican-dominated states, eliminating the VRA requirement for majority-minority districts could allow for more Republican-leaning districts
  • The case represents another opportunity for the conservative-dominated Court to reduce remedies designed to counteract historical discrimination
  • The outcome will directly impact Louisiana's six congressional districts and the representation of its Black population
  • The decision could determine whether race can be considered at all in redistricting efforts nationwide

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint