5th Circuit Will Not Rehear Case Jeopardizing Voting Rights Act Precedent

[ificandream]

Source: Democracy Docket

By Madeleine Greenberg
December 15, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will not rehear a case that could have drastically impacted redistricting and precedent under the Voting Rights Act.

Today, the 5th Circuit denied Louisiana Republicans’ cynical request for the entire 5th Circuit to reconsider the ability of private parties, such as nonprofit organizations and voters, to bring claims under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) to remedy discriminatory maps and voting practices.

This action is the latest in Ardoin v. Robinson, a lawsuit filed on behalf of Black voters challenging Louisiana’s congressional map for diluting the voting strength of Black voters under Section 2 of the VRA.

Earlier this month, Louisiana Republicans asked the entire 5th Circuit — as opposed to the typical three-judge panel — to rehear a decision affirming that Louisiana must draw a new congressional map. Specifically, Republicans challenged part of a November ruling confirming the ability of private litigants (civil right groups, individual voters, etc) to bring lawsuits under Section 2 of the VRA. In legal terms, this concept is known as a private right of action.

Read more: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/5th-circuit-will-not-rehear-case-jeopardizing-voting-rights-act-precedent/