BATON ROUGE - Hours after taking office, new Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry called for a redistricting special session that would give lawmakers the opportunity to draw and replace the state’s current congressional map. A federal judge said the current map violates the Voting Rights Act by diluting the power of Black voters.
Landry's executive order for a special session would be scheduled for Jan. 15-23.
But that session looks to go beyond a congressional map. The governor issued a list of issues to address, including redrawing state Supreme Court districts and moving away from Louisiana’s current open primary election system to a closed one.
Officials have until Jan. 30 to pass new congressional boundaries, with a second majority-minority district. If they do not meet the deadline, a district court will hold a trial and “decide on a plan for the 2024 elections,” according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth District court’s order in November.
Louisiana is among the list of states still wrangling over congressional districts after the U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that Alabama had violated the Voting Rights Act.
Democrats argue that the map discriminates against Black voters and that there should be two majority-minority districts. (The AP 01/08/24) Landry Calls for Special Session to Draw New Congressional Map - Biz New Orleans
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