Callais plaintiffs may sue over new Congressional map

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The Supreme Court said in its Callais ruling that political considerations are an acceptable factor in redistricting.

But the Callais plaintiffs, in legal filings this week, say the new map may also run afoul of the Supreme Court’s ruling, because it still has one district drawn in a way that ensures a majority of voters are Black.

“The current legislative session ends on June 1, 2026,” they wrote. “If the Legislature fails to enact a new map by then or enacts SB121 without any substantial changes to the current structure, Plaintiffs may well ask the Court to schedule proceedings to impose a remedy that fully complies with Callais.”

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The plaintiffs accuse state leaders of intentionally slow-walking the creation of a new map so that there will not be enough time for a legal challenge before the November elections. For example, they said Secretary of State Nancy Landry’s office is refusing to give them a hard deadline for when it would need an approved map to conduct the election.

The plaintiffs asked Louisiana’s federal Western District Court to require the secretary of state’s office to declare that deadline. On Wednesday, the court agreed.

“The Secretary of State’s prompt disclosure of her deadline to implement any new congressional districting map will provide clarity to the parties and the Court in advance of scheduling any necessary remedial proceedings once a new congressional districting map is enacted,” a three-judge panel wrote.

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