Story perspectives

Supreme Court Blocks Louisiana Map, Halts Primary Election

5/1/2026

Summary

Story summary

Supreme Court 6-3 decision declares Louisiana congressional map unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill suspended the May 16 primary, halting absentee voting set for Saturday, prompting criticism from State Senator Royce Duplessis about confusion and mid-campaign rule changes.
Legislators will redraw districts before a new primary date, with the new map potentially removing a Democratic seat and shaping the 2026 midterm and 2028 elections.

History

Historical Context

In 1993 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Shaw v. Reno, striking North Carolina’s 12-square-mile, 160-mile-long district as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor’s opinion anchored strict-scrutiny review, a standard later applied in Bush v. Vera, Miller v. Johnson and the 2016 Cooper v. Harris case, shaping today’s challenges to minority-vote dilution.

1 of 2

Story summary

Supreme Court 6-3 decision declares Louisiana congressional map unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill suspended the May 16 primary, halting absentee voting set for Saturday, prompting criticism from State Senator Royce Duplessis about confusion and mid-campaign rule changes.
Legislators will redraw districts before a new primary date, with the new map potentially removing a Democratic seat and shaping the 2026 midterm and 2028 elections.

1 / 2