Story perspectives

Supreme Court Bars Race-Based Districts in 6-3 Ruling

4/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that creating majority-minority districts violates the 14th Amendment.
The Court framed the decision as a ban on race-based districting, overturning a Black-majority district approval in Louisiana.
Justice Samuel A. Alito said the Constitution never permits discrimination based on race and allowed partisan redistricting without racial criteria.
Justice Elena Kagan warned the ruling enables racial vote dilution and could let states reduce minority voting power.

History

Historical Context

After President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act on Aug 6 1965, preclearance covered 13 Southern states and 38 jurisdictions, cutting Black voter suppression by about 5 percent. The 2013 Shelby County decision nullified that coverage, and the Court’s 6-3 June 2024 ruling—authored by Justice Alito and opposed by Justice Kagan—revives partisan gerrymandering, prompting calls for new federal voting safeguards.

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Story summary

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that creating majority-minority districts violates the 14th Amendment.
The Court framed the decision as a ban on race-based districting, overturning a Black-majority district approval in Louisiana.
Justice Samuel A. Alito said the Constitution never permits discrimination based on race and allowed partisan redistricting without racial criteria.
Justice Elena Kagan warned the ruling enables racial vote dilution and could let states reduce minority voting power.

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