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Links for Today:
Articles: Washington Post: “Appeals court lifts hold on Louisiana congressional remap” AP: “Louisiana governor: Special session to draw new Congress map”
Groups taking Action in Louisiana: Power Coaliltion, ACLU-LA, League of Women Voters LA
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
A federal appeals court has given voters in Louisiana a break, lifting a lower court stay and forcing the Louisiana legislature to draw new, fairer Congressional voting districts maps which don’t dilute the voting power of majority Black communities.
Back in March, Governor John Bel Edwards vetoed a gerrymandered Congressional map which chopped up majority-Black areas to dilute their vote, but the overwhelmingly Republican legislature overrode the veto. The Washington Post reports that Bel Edwards argues there should be two majority Black districts out of six, because the state is two-thirds African American.
Lifting the stay may only be temporary good news. In its statement, the appeals court panel urged a full appeal, citing weakness in proving that the map was a racial gerrymander. They signaled a willingness to hear the full case in July.
Meanwhile, Bel Edwards last week called a special session of the legislature for June 15th to the 20th to draw new maps. Louisiana’s Republican secretary of state, Kyle Ardoin, is at odds with his Democratic governor, having argued that the maps weren’t gerrymandered. Ardoin says he will comply while the ruling is in effect, but it’s unclear whether Louisiana’s legislature will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Links to articles and organizations working on Louisiana’s redistricting are available at AmericanDemocracy Minute.org
Granny D said, “Democracy is not something we have, it’s something we DO.”
For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.