Supreme Court nullifies Voting Rights Act Section 2 in 6-3 ruling
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · May 8
Supreme Court nullifies Voting Rights Act Section 2 in 6-3 ruling
8 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · May 8
The decision, split between conservative and liberal justices, has already prompted Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina to pursue new congressional maps before the 2026 midterms.
Justice Samuel Alito said challengers must show a strong inference of racial discrimination, making it harder to contest maps when states argue they were drawn for partisan, not racial, reasons.
Critics including James Clyburn, Hakeem Jeffries and the NAACP warned Black representation could fall across the South, potentially helping Republicans in a House now controlled by about three seats.
With a key voting law now nullified, what new strategies can safeguard community representation in Congress?
Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais Decision Dramatically Weakens Voting Rights Act Section 2, Threatening Minority Representation
Overview
On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais nullified Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, requiring proof of intentional racial discrimination to challenge voting maps. This ruling led Louisiana and other Republican-controlled Southern states to redraw districts, eliminating many majority-minority districts and diluting minority political power. As a result, Republicans gained an electoral advantage in the 2026 midterms. The new legal standard creates high hurdles for voting rights challenges, weakening protections at local levels and fueling increased partisan gerrymandering. Civil rights groups condemned the ruling, while Republicans praised it. With federal legislative restoration unlikely, states are now the main battleground for protecting minority voting rights amid growing political polarization and reduced election competitiveness.