Louisiana's Accelerated Redistricting After Supreme Court Ruling

After the Supreme Court’s Callais v. Louisiana decision struck down one of Louisiana’s two Black-majority districts, Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency on May 10, 2026 and suspended the House primaries. Public hearings on new maps were held two days later, and Sen. Gary Carter took a temporary leave from the Senate Government & Affairs Committee. Lawmakers aim to have a revised map by June.

WAFB - Baton Rouge

Actors: Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA), Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA), Rep. Cleo Fields (D-LA), Sen. Gary Carter (D-LA), Sen. Ed Price (D-Gonzales) and Sen. Jay Morris (R-West Monroe). Over 100,000 early-vote ballots were cast, about 45,000 before the suspension. Roughly 80 % of white voters back Republicans, 90 % of Black voters back Democrats. Four proposals are under review: one keeps two majority-minority districts; three cut them to one or none.

WVUE - New Orleans

Gov. Jeff Landry said the Court left Louisiana without a constitutional map and urged challengers to take grievances to the Supreme Court. Rep. Troy Carter said the debate ignores ongoing discrimination and that no one seeks “extra rights.” Rep. Cleo Fields noted the decision did not require suspending elections nor forbid a second majority-Black district. Sen. Gary Carter said his leave was meant to restore committee decorum.

WVUE - New Orleans

Civil-rights activist Leona Tate called the Court’s ruling “the most racist ruling in our nation’s history,” recalling her desegregation experience. Local critics warned each map would diminish Black voting power and called the changes “not defensible.” Protesters outside the Capitol chanted “Our house!” and “Shut it down!”

PBS News Hour

Gov. Landry called discarded ballots “not a big deal,” while opponents say throwing away 45,000 votes risks “irreparable harm,” especially for seniors. Reports differ on early-vote totals: one cites “over 100,000” ballots, another cites “45,000” cast before the suspension.

WVUE - New Orleans

• “Jeff Landry (R-LA): The highest court in the land says the map that you have is unconstitutional, so we don't have a map under which our voters can vote on.” — Jeff Landry, Governor of Louisiana

PBS News Hour

• “The reality is we still live in a society that discrimination is real.” — Troy Carter, Democratic Congressman

WVUE - New Orleans

• “Leona Tate: I had no idea what racism was at that time, but I knew by third grade that it was the color of my skin that made a difference.” — Leona Tate, Civil Rights Activist

PBS News Hour

• “And the third thing it did not say, it didn't say you could not draw a second majority-Black district.” — Cleo Fields, Former Democratic Congressman

PBS News Hour

The Senate Government & Affairs Committee will reconvene Tuesday to vote on the four proposals, with a final congressional map expected by June and potential court challenges pending.

PBS News Hour