Supreme Court didn't 'gut' Voting Rights Act. It upheld Constitution. |
On April 29, the Supreme Court ruled that Louisiana’s congressional map constituted a racial gerrymander. Specifically, the court found that the Voting Rights Act neither permits nor requires states to draw congressional districts primarily based on race.
To little surprise, headlines quickly followed claiming the decision “guts,” “demolishes” or “eviscerates” the Voting Rights Act. Even Justice Elena Kagan described it as a “demolition.”
In reality, the court reaffirmed the proper meaning of the Voting Rights Act by rejecting racial gerrymandering. Those advocating for race-based districting in the name of racial justice misunderstand both how the Constitution treats race and how Americans ought to think about it.
No, Supreme Court's decision does not 'gut' the Voting Rights Act
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act broadly prohibits racial discrimination. For years, however, some have argued that it goes further, allowing race to be a major factor in drawing congressional districts and, in some cases, even requiring it.
Following the 2020 census, Louisiana, like every state, began redrawing its congressional map.........