The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 29, 2025
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
There are 141 majority-minority congressional voting districts in the U.S., out of 435. A new conservative legal tactic has emerged, arguing such districts harm White Americans, and citingthe Equal Protection Clause, originally passed to end state discrimination against Black Americans.
The 1965 Voting Rights Act Section 2 and subsequent court rulings allow narrow exceptions to connect communities and create majority-minority voting districts. Such districts allow Black, Hispanic, Native American and Asian communities to elect the representatives of their choice, without having their vote diluted by a White majority. And that White majority historically has too often attempted to suppress minority voting power through restrictive voting rules and racial gerrymandering.
Since the 2023 Allen v. Milligan racial gerrymandering decision, a conservative legal strategy has emerged, challenging majority-minority voting districts by flipping the original intent of the Equal Protection Clause. In a U.S. Supreme Court case to be heard in February, a group of Louisiana QUOTE “non-African-American individuals” claim THEIR rights have been harmed by the provision. Their argument was supported by 12 other red states, including five former preclearance states, citing the Equal Protection Clause.
In past opinions, Justices Alito, Thomas and Gorsuch appear ready to pounce on the case, and try to eliminate such opportunity districts for Louisiana’s 33% Black voters, but also for minority voters around the country.
Find more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Ballotpedia – Majority-Minority Congressional Districts
U.S. Supreme Court – Allen v. Milligan Decision
U.S. Justice Department – States and Counties Formerly Required for Section 5 Preclearance Because of Consistent Racial Voting Discrimination
Brennan Center for Justice – Black Louisianians Fight in Court to Preserve Fair Voting Map
U.S. Supreme Court – BRIEF OF ALABAMA AND 12 OTHER STATES
American University Law Review – (2024) The Twists and Turns of A Map that Captured National Attention – Robinson v. Callais
SCOTUS Blog – Louisiana v. Callais (formerly Robinson v. Callais)
Groups Taking Action:
Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, ACLU of Louisiana
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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