Louisiana lawmakers to consider changing 2026 election schedule ahead of redistricting court ruling

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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A day after the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a significant redistricting case centering on Louisiana's congressional map, which has two majority-Black districts, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry announced that he is calling state lawmakers back to the Capitol to consider changes to next year's election schedule, plans and code.

If the court strikes down the current political boundaries, pushing back the election schedule and deadlines could allow the GOP-dominated Legislature more time to craft a new map.

Unlike past special sessions called by Landry, there is only one item listed in his proclamation: “To legislate relative to the election code, election dates, election deadlines, and election plans for the 2026 election cycle, and to provide for the funding thereof if necessary.”

The special session is scheduled to begin Oct. 23 and must conclude by the evening of Nov. 13.

The Republican-led challenge before the high court is a case that could result in the weakening of a key tool of the Voting Rights Act, which helped root out racial discrimination in voting for more than a half century.

The current map is the result of a hard-fought battle by civil rights groups, who say Black voter strength previously, when only one of the state's six congressional districts was a majority-minority district. That was the case even though Black residents account for about one-third of Louisiana's population.

But opponents argue that the state's new second Black majority congressional district, which helped flipped a reliably red congressional seat to blue, was unconstitutionally gerrymandered based on race.

During Wednesday's arguments the Supreme Court's six conservative justices seemed inclined to effectively strike down a Black majority congressional district in Louisiana because it relied too heavily on race.

If the court overturns the map, the ruling could open the door for legislatures to redraw congressional districts in Southern states, helping Republicans by eliminating majority Black and Latino districts that tend to favor Democrats.

The court is expected to rule by early summer in 2026.