Republican Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana announced a special legislative session to address the state’s election calendar, plans, and code, a day after the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a pivotal case concerning the state’s congressional map.
The current map, which includes two majority-Black congressional districts, is the subject of a high-stakes challenge before the Supreme Court. Should the court strike down the existing political boundaries, the push to adjust the election schedule and deadlines could provide the GOP-dominated Legislature additional time to draft a new map ahead of the next election cycle. RELATED: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Gets Snippy With Lawyer During Hearing On Louisiana Race-Based Districts
Focus on Election Code
Unlike previous special sessions called by Gov. Landry, the proclamation for this session lists only one objective: “To legislate relative to the election code, election dates, election deadlines, and election plans for the 2026 election cycle, and to provide for the funding thereof if necessary.”
The special session is set to commence on October 23 and must conclude by the evening of November 13.
The Supreme Court case centers on Louisiana’s current congressional map, which resulted from efforts by civil rights groups.
These groups argued that the previous map diluted Black voter strength, noting that Black residents constitute approximately one-third of Louisiana’s population but were represented by only one majority-minority district. The revised map created a second majority-Black district, which flipped a traditionally Republican congressional seat to a Democratic one.
Voting Rights Act Challenge
The lawsuit challenging the map, led by Republicans, raises questions about the scope of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark law designed to prevent racial discrimination in voting. Opponents of the current map argue that the creation of the second Black majority congressional district constitutes unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.
During the Supreme Court arguments on Wednesday, the court’s six conservative justices appeared to lean toward invalidating the map, suggesting the second district relied too heavily on race as a factor in its drawing.
A ruling against the current map, expected by early summer 2026, could significantly impact the political landscape. Such an outcome could empower state legislatures to redraw congressional districts in Southern states, potentially favoring Republicans by eliminating majority Black and Latino districts, which have historically tended to elect Democrats.
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