The U.S. Supreme Court last week issued a ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that dismantled key elements of the Voting Rights Act. The decision has prompted swift redistricting efforts in multiple states. Revelations about the lead plaintiff have also surfaced.
The ruling addressed Louisiana’s congressional map and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. It effectively ended protections against vote dilution for minority voters in the state. Officials in Tennessee responded on Thursday by carving up the state’s only majority-Black district into three parts, diluting votes from Memphis where the population is 63 percent Black.