Louisiana Delays Primary After Voting Rights Ruling
The United States Supreme Court ruled Louisiana's voting districts were unconstitutional. The court also weakened a key part of the Voting Rights Act.
Before this ruling states only needed to show a law had unfair effects on voters. Now states must prove a law was meant to be unfair.
Critics say this change guts voter protections. Justice Kagan called the law 'all but a dead letter' in her dissent.
The ruling was 6 to 3. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and the state's attorney general acted fast.
They moved to delay the May 16 primary election for House races. The delay was tricky because absentee voting had already started.
Early voting was also set to begin Saturday. The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law criticized the ruling.
States across the country are now rushing to redraw their voting districts. Florida approved a new map hours after the ruling. Republicans in Alabama and South Carolina are also calling for new maps.
Key Terms 5
- Voting Rights Act A US law protecting people's right to vote fairly
- unconstitutional Breaking the rules set by the US Constitution
- dissent A judge's written disagreement with the majority ruling
- voting districts Areas that decide which voters choose which politicians
- absentee voting Voting by mail before election day