Wait, why are so many states redrawing their maps?
New congressional maps could reshape Black representation for years to come.
The fight over congressional maps is escalating across the South, and the outcomes could disenfranchise millions of Black voters for years to come. Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, several states are now moving quickly to redraw congressional maps in ways that could silence and take away representation for voters.
Here’s what’s happening, and why voters should be paying attention. 👇
In Louisiana, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Callais, lawmakers are moving forward with new congressional maps. At least one map the state legislature is considering would get rid of both of the majority Black districts, making all six of the state’s districts majority white, and the governor has even postponed the primary election to allow more time for redrawing, effectively canceling thousands of early ballots.
In Tennessee, lawmakers passed a new congressional map after repealing the state’s 52-year ban on mid-decade redistricting. The new map breaks up Tennessee’s only majority-Black congressional district in Memphis, splitting Black voters across multiple majority-white districts. Lawmakers also repealed a law requiring county officials to directly notify voters of polling place changes, which could create confusion ahead of this year’s elections.
In Alabama, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for lawmakers to use a congressional map that reduces the state from two majority-Black congressional districts to one, undoing its decision in Allen v. Milligan, which held Alabama’s old map violated the Voting Rights Act. The new map would likely limit Black voters’ electoral influence to just 1 out of the state’s 7 congressional districts in a state where Black residents make up more than 25% of the population. The Governor postponed some of the May 19 congressional elections, but races for Senate, Governor, and more will still happen that day. The special primary election for congressional districts has been scheduled for August 11.
In Florida, new congressional maps will eliminate four Democratic-held congressional seats. Florida’s constitution bans partisan and racial gerrymandering, which could render the new maps illegal. All of these changes are attempts to remove every tool we have to fight for our voting rights, significantly weaken Black voting power, and fundamentally reshape congressional representation for years to come.
But even as lawmakers push new maps and voting restrictions, recent rulings blocking redistricting efforts in South Carolina show that these fights are far from over. Attempts to redraw maps are still being challenged in court, proving that we can — and should — fight back against efforts to silence voters.
We don’t know exactly what will happen next, but through it all, we are in this together.