LDF has been closely monitoring the redistricting process in key states since the 2021 redistricting cycle began, including Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia to ensure that the process is transparent and communities have a say in how electoral lines will be drawn. Here, we’ve compiled a state-by-state look at our work. Since the redistricting process began, LDF has sent letters, submitted proposed maps, and filed lawsuits opposing discriminatory redistricting plans.
The 2021 redistricting cycle will be the first without Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act in place to protect against discriminatory redistricting. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder effectively dismantled Section 5 and the pre-approval process that required states with histories of racial discrimination redistricting to seek approval from the federal government before implementing plans. The absence of the federal government’s pre-approval process is a major detriment to voters of color going into this next redistricting cycle.
Achieving equal representation and being able to cast equal and effective votes depends in part on redistricting maps that are drawn fairly to reflect and respect our communities. The maps drawn for the post-2020 redistricting cycle will determine the allocation of political power and representation at every level of government across the nation for at least the next ten years. Since the federal government will no longer act to review discriminatory voting policies in advance, the redistricting process now lies with everyday citizens, especially Black, Latino, and Asian American voters, who are most vulnerable to disenfranchisement through discriminatory voting policies.
WASHINGTON — This morning, oral arguments concluded in Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, the U.S. Supreme Court case that will determine the fate of South Carolina’s congressional map. Shortly after the map was enacted, plaintiffs challenged
CONTACT: Inga Sarda-Sorensen, ACLU, 347-514-3984, [email protected] Ella Wiley, Legal Defense Fund, 212-965-2200, [email protected] WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court today said it will hear an appeal to a ruling that ordered South Carolina to redraw its congressional map because the
The Legal Defense Fund (LDF), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of South Carolina, and Arnold & Porter filed a motion today in the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm a federal court’s ruling that South Carolina’s Congressional District 1 was
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal court today ordered South Carolina to redraw its 2021 enacted congressional map, ruling that a district anchored in Charleston County is a racial gerrymander. The case was brought on behalf of the South Carolina State
Today, the Legal Defense Fund, the Western York Branch, and the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP sent a letter to the York, South Carolina Municipal Clerk Amy Craig regarding district maps for the York City Council. The York
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal court in South Carolina heard closing arguments today in a major voting rights case challenging the state’s new congressional map. The Legal Defense Fund (LDF), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of South Carolina, Arnold
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A district court in Alabama today ordered the state to adopt a congressional map that includes two districts where Black voters will have the opportunity
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Alabama’s attempt to defy its orders to draw a fair congressional map and has allowed a three-judge panel’s latest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 5, 2023 CONTACT: Phoebe Plagens, LDF, [email protected] Inga Sarda-Sorensen, ACLU National, 347-514-3984, [email protected] Jose Vazquez, ACLU of Alabama, [email protected] Court orders special master to
Plaintiffs respond to the Alabama Legislature passing another congressional map that lacks a second majority-Black district, in direct violation of federal law and the recent U.S. Supreme Court
Today, LDF and Allen v. Milligan plaintiffs submitted a remedial redistricting plan following the Supreme Court’s decision in Milligan. In affirming the three-judge district court’s preliminary injunction against HB1, the Supreme
CONTACT: Ella Wiley, LDF, [email protected] Inga Sarda-Sorensen, ACLU, 347-514-3984, [email protected] WASHINGTON – In a historic win for voting rights, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled in Allen v.
Following years of litigation, Black voters finally set to achieve fair map BATON ROUGE, LA – Today, the Louisiana Legislature passed a map that creates a second majority-Black congressional district after being granted a final opportunity to pass a map
Media Contacts Legal Defense Fund (LDF) / [email protected] Inga Sarda-Sorensen, ACLU National / [email protected], 347-514-3984 Ella Wiley, ACLU National / [email protected], 925-819-0555 NEW ORLEANS – The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals today agreed with a lower court that the congressional
Media Contacts Legal Defense Fund, [email protected] ACLU Media, [email protected] Kari Elgin, ACLU of Louisiana, [email protected] Washington, D.C.—Yesterday in Robinson v. Ardoin, the challenge to Louisiana’s congressional map under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, plaintiffs filed an emergency
New Orleans, LA—Today, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a writ of mandamus to vacate the remedial hearing set for Oct. 3 – 5 in Robinson v. Ardoin, the challenge to Louisiana’s discriminatory congressional map. The District Court hearing
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court today lifted a temporary halt on a federal lawsuit challenging Louisiana’s discriminatory congressional map. The action sends the case, Robinson v. Ardoin, down to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for further consideration. The
BATON ROUGE, La. — The Legal Defense Fund (LDF), American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Louisiana, law firm Cozen O’ Connor, and Louisiana attorneys Ron Wilson and John Adcock filed a motion today to lift a stay in a federal
Today, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit against the State of Texas, alleging that new congressional and state-level legislative districts passed by the Texas Legislature
On October 27, 2021, the Waller County, Texas Commissioners Court held the final scheduled public hearing on redistricting. LDF submitted a supplemental letter in response to the hearing
On October 25, 2021, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) submitted a letter and an updated redistricting map—Appendix C— to the Waller County, Texas Commissioner’s
On October 19, 2021, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) sent a letter to members of the Waller County, Texas Commissioners Court regarding their obligation
Today, the Legal Defense Fund, Gulfport Branch of the NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, and One Voice sent a letter to the Harrison County, Mississippi School Board regarding
Today, the Legal Defense Fund sent a letter to the Gulfport City, Mississippi Council regarding redistricting plans and urging members to adopt Community Plan 7 or 8 presented
Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., with co-counsel Hogan Lovells and Fred Banks, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Southern
Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) and coalition partners sent a letter to the Mississippi Standing Joint Legislative Committee on Reapportionment and the Standing
Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) sent a letter to the Fayette County, Georgia Board of Commissioners (BOC) concerning the redistricting process and the
