Chicago – April 29, 2026
The U.S. Supreme Court has weakened a major Voting Rights Act safeguard, handing a setback to efforts to stop racial discrimination in election maps and voting access. In a case from Louisiana, the court’s conservative majority said the state’s Black majority congressional district relied too heavily on race.
The dispute centered on whether lawmakers could use race to ensure minority voters have a fair chance to elect preferred candidates. Chief Justice John Roberts described the district as a long “snake” linking several cities, while critics said the ruling undermines a key civil rights protection that has worked for decades.
Civil rights advocates warned the decision could make it harder to challenge discriminatory district maps in court. Supporters of the ruling argued it restores constitutional limits on racial classifications in political redistricting.
The decision comes amid a broader rollback of voting-rights protections and renewed national debate over how far states can go in drawing election districts.
