JACKSON, Miss. - The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of Black voters in an Alabama congressional redistricting case rejecting a Republican-led effort to weaken a landmark voting rights law.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined with the court’s liberals in affirming a lower court ruling that found a likely violation of the Voting Rights Act in an Alabama congressional map.
The map had one majority Black seat out of seven congressional districts in a state where Blacks make up about 25% of the population.
ACLU Mississippi has filed federal lawsuits challenging its state’s three Supreme Court districts and 174 legislative seats claiming the boundaries are racially gerrymandered to prevent African Americans from electing more Blacks to office.
Of the Mississippi State Legislature: 52 in the Senate and 122 in the House.
The lawsuits have been on hold pending the outcome of Alabama’s redistricting case.
The head of ACLU Mississippi believes the ruling could lead to a more diverse state legislature and the state Supreme Court.
“(W)e shouldn’t have lawmakers choosing their own districts,” said Jarvis Dortch, executive director of ACLU Mississippi.
There has been no timetable as to when judges in Mississippi could start moving forward on the lawsuits challenging Mississippi’s legislative and Supreme Court district lines. (WAPT 06/08/23)
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