The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Sept. 5, 2025
The State of Louisiana’s new brief for a U.S. Supreme Court racial gerrymandering case now claims Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is unconstitutional because it uses race-conscious redistricting. Their shifting argument may suggest the state thinks more justices are ready to strike down the VRA.
A federal appeals court in Robinson v. Callais, now called Louisiana v. Callais, ordered a Congressional redistricting map which included two majority-minority voting districts. Louisiana’s population is 33% African American, but as of 2022, in only one Congressional district out of six could Black voters have a realistic chance of electing a candidate of their choice.
After the new map was implemented, a group of QUOTE “non-African-American individuals” appealed, claiming the districts were discriminatory to THEM under Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Louisiana officials had originally argued that the 2022 maps were drawn for partisan reasons – allowed by the court – not for racial discrimination reasons, illegal under the VRA.
The high court heard the case in March 2025 and an opinion was expected in June. Instead, it asked for additional arguments this October. Justices Thomas, Alito and Gorsuch have written they want to see race-based accommodations struck down. Whether this argument convinces Justices Kavanaugh & Coney-Barrett remains to be seen.
We’ll have more in our next report. I’m Brian Beihl.
We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
All About Redistricting – Louisiana v. Callais (also Callais v. Landry, Robinson v. Callais)
NAACP Legal Defense Fund – Louisiana v. Callais FAQ
Louisiana Attorney General – Supplemental U.S. Supreme Court Brief
Campaign Legal Center – Defending States’ Ability to Use the Voting Rights Act for Fair Maps (Louisiana v. Callais/Robinson v. Callais)
SCOTUSBlog – (Commentary) The future of voting rights
Groups Taking Action:
ACLU, Legal Defense Fund, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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