Elias Law Group Statement on Enactment of New Congressional Map in Louisiana
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In March 2022, Elias Law Group attorneys challenged Louisiana’s congressional map on behalf of a group of voters, alleging that the map diluted the voting power of Black Louisianans in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. A federal district court and the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found that the map likely violated the Voting Rights Act and offered the legislature an opportunity to enact a new map to address that violation. Today, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed into law a new map, passed by the State Legislature, with a second majority-minority congressional district.
Elias Law Group partner Abha Khanna, lead counsel for the Galmon Plaintiffs in this case, released the following statement.
"For too long, Black Louisianans have been denied fair representation in the state’s congressional delegation, forced to vote in districts that unlawfully dilute their political influence and ability to elect their candidates of choice. Today’s enactment of a new congressional map is a historic moment for Louisiana, which will now have an additional congressional district in which Black Louisianans have the opportunity to elect their preferred candidates to the U.S. House of Representatives.
“We are proud to have worked with Louisiana voters to successfully challenge Louisiana’s congressional map under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a challenge that withstood resistance from the state at nearly every turn. We are heartened that the Louisiana State Legislature finally took heed of the court’s finding that Plaintiffs were likely to succeed on their Section 2 claim and sought to remedy the violation. And we are thrilled that Louisiana’s democracy will get to thrive under a new congressional map that gives every Louisianan an equal opportunity to participate in the political process.”
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