Story perspectives

Southern States Cancel Primaries Amid Supreme Court Voting Ruling

5/16/2026

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Southern States Cancel Primaries

Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama each canceled primary elections after votes were cast, a step officials call unprecedented.
The U.S. Supreme Court narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, permitting Southern states to redraw Black-majority congressional districts.
The Congressional Black Caucus, now 58 members, warns the maps could sharply cut its representation.
The ACLU sued Tennessee over its map while groups aim to block Alabama’s 2023 plan.

Right

Democrats Warn Losses

Democratic leaders warn that up to 19 of the 62 Congressional Black Caucus members could lose seats by 2028.
Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in April that Louisiana’s district relied heavily on race, narrowing Section 2 of Voting Rights Act.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson said the decision revives Jim Crow era.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pledged Democratic steps in New York and Colorado before 2028.

History

Historical Context

In August 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, which quickly registered roughly 250,000 Black voters that year, many through federal examiners. The Act’s Section 2 barred racial discrimination in voting and was later reinforced by the 1982 amendment that created a “results test.” Recent Supreme Court rulings, including Brnovich (2021) and Louisiana v. Callais (2026), have narrowed Section 2, prompting new lawsuits by the ACLU and NAACP.

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Southern States Cancel Primaries

Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama each canceled primary elections after votes were cast, a step officials call unprecedented.
The U.S. Supreme Court narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, permitting Southern states to redraw Black-majority congressional districts.
The Congressional Black Caucus, now 58 members, warns the maps could sharply cut its representation.
The ACLU sued Tennessee over its map while groups aim to block Alabama’s 2023 plan.

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