Judge orders Louisiana redraw congressional map to include additional majority-minority district

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - A federal judge has ruled that the Louisiana legislature must redraw its recently approved Congressional District maps to include another majority-minority district.

Like the map used for the last decade, the new map included five of six U.S. Congressional districts that leaned heavily Republican even though roughly a third of Louisiana’s population is Black. Both the old and new maps have only one majority-minority district and it includes parts of New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

The decision was detailed in a 150-page ruling we obtained on June 6.

The ruling read, in part:

“For the reasons set forth herein, the Court concludes that Plaintiffs are substantially likely to prevail on the merits of their claims brought under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The Court finds that absent injunctive relief, the movants are substantially likely to suffer irreparable harm. The Court has considered the balance of equities and hardships associated with injunctive relief, as well as the public policies attendant to the issuance of injunctive relief, and concludes that injunctive relief is required under the law and the facts of this case. The Court hereby GRANTS the Motions for Preliminary Injunction8 and PRELIMINARILY ENJOINS Secretary Ardoin from conducting any congressional elections under the map enacted by the Louisiana Legislature in H.B. 1.”

You can read the full ruling here:

This article is breaking news and will be updated with more information momentarily.

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