Supreme Court Eviscerates Voting Rights Act, Paving Way for Largest Drop in Black Congressional Representation

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais on April 29, 2026, eviscerating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The decision allows states to draw congressional maps that dilute the political power of minority voters, invalidating Louisiana's majority-Black congressional district. Civil rights leaders warn this could cause the largest-ever drop in Black representation in Congress — potentially eliminating 15 or more majority-Black districts from Louisiana eastward to North Carolina. Civil rights organizations convened an emergency meeting and called the ruling a betrayal of the hard-won gains of the Civil Rights Movement. The Supreme Court subsequently ordered the ruling to take immediate effect to allow Louisiana to redraw its maps before the 2026 elections.