Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: NAACP v. Department of Homeland Security et al. (D.D.C. 1:26-cv-03263) — Nine civil rights organizations and labor unions, including the NAACP, Mi Familia en Acción, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates, National Urban League, and MN8, filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, DOJ, the FBI, and associated officials. The complaint alleges that the Trump administration's rescission of a DHS policy limiting immigration arrests near polling places, combined with rhetoric declining to rule out deploying armed agents near voting locations during the 2026 midterms and expansion of the "Unlawful Voter Initiative" (cross-referencing voter rolls against immigration databases in at least nine states), violates Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act by intimidating voters and persons aiding voters. Plaintiffs seek a declaration of violation and an injunction against unlawful voter intimidation.

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• Trump administration proposes citizenship question on census and eliminates race/ethnicity data collection — The Trump administration issued a new proposal to add a citizenship question to the U.S. Census questionnaire and bar the Census Bureau from collecting race and ethnicity data despite the nation collecting such demographics since 1790. The citizenship question could exclude millions of people from the census count, affecting congressional apportionment, electoral district mapping, and federal funding allocation to states. The move directly contradicts the 14th Amendment's requirement to count all people living in the United States.

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• US Supreme Court weakens Voting Rights Act protections — The Supreme Court weakened the 1965 Voting Rights Act by giving southern legislatures the right to redraw congressional districts previously drawn to ensure racial minority representation. Legal experts predict this move will benefit Republicans and drastically reduce the number of Black representatives in Congress, triggering "a huge set of ripple effects" across the political landscape.

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• California appeals court rules Huntington Beach photo ID requirement unlawful and preempted by state law — In November 2025, a California appeals court ruled that Huntington Beach's photo ID voting requirement was unlawful and preempted by state law. The court sided with California's argument that voting rights and election rules are matters of statewide concern and that local governments cannot impose voting restrictions that conflict with state law. The California Supreme Court later declined to hear the city's appeal, leaving the ruling in place.
• Cochise County, Arizona Republican supervisors attempted full hand count audit of early ballots in 2022 — In 2022, Cochise County, Arizona Republican supervisors attempted to launch a full hand count audit of early ballots, despite warnings from state and county officials. A judge blocked the plan, and an Arizona appeals court later affirmed that the county could not conduct a full hand count of all early ballots. After losing the hand count fight, county supervisors also delayed certification of the 2022 election results before complying with a court order.
• U.S. Department of Justice sued Thornapple, Wisconsin over removal of accessible voting machines — The U.S. Department of Justice, under President Joe Biden, sued Thornapple, Wisconsin after the town stopped using accessible voting machines. The DOJ argued that the move violated the Help America Vote Act, a federal law requiring polling places to give voters with disabilities the same opportunity to vote privately and independently as other voters. The town eventually agreed to bring accessible machines back.
• Huntington Beach, California passed local photo ID voting requirement for municipal elections in 2024 — In 2024, Huntington Beach voters approved Measure 1, a local charter amendment that would have required voters to show photo ID at the polls for municipal elections beginning in 2026. The measure became a test case for whether a charter city could impose voting restrictions that state law does not permit. California argued that voting rights and election rules are matters of statewide concern and that local governments cannot create conflicting rules.
• Luzerne County, Pennsylvania county manager removed all ballot drop boxes ahead of 2024 election — In 2024, the Luzerne County manager moved to remove all ballot drop boxes ahead of the election, citing security concerns. The decision came after the county board of elections had already approved using the drop boxes. Voting rights groups sued, arguing that the manager lacked authority to override the board's decision. The drop boxes were later restored following legal action.
• North Carolina Republican-controlled county election boards advance plans to cut early voting locations — Ahead of the 2026 primary, Republican-controlled county election boards in North Carolina advanced plans to cut early voting locations, remove campus polling places, and eliminate Sunday voting in several counties. In Guilford County, local Republicans targeted early voting sites at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University, the nation's largest historically Black university. In Jackson County, Republican board members moved to remove a longstanding early voting site at Western Carolina University. The Republican-controlled state election board later rejected campus voting sites in those counties and cut Sunday voting in others.
• Nye County, Nevada county officials moved to count ballots by hand after fraud claims — Nye County, Nevada officials moved to count ballots by hand after false claims about widespread fraud fueled distrust of voting machines. The Nevada Supreme Court limited parts of the plan before the 2022 midterms, the secretary of state's office halted the count after a legal challenge, and the county ultimately used machines as its primary vote-counting method while running a parallel hand count.
• Otero County, New Mexico Republican commissioners refused to certify 2022 primary results — In Otero County, New Mexico, Republican commissioners refused to certify 2022 primary election results, claiming they did not trust the county's vote tabulators despite offering no evidence of problems. The commission also voted to discontinue secured drop boxes and state voting machines, even after being told it lacked legal authority to do so.
• Wausau, Wisconsin mayor removed city's ballot drop box in September 2024 — In September 2024, Wausau Mayor Doug Diny removed the city's only ballot drop box from outside City Hall, posing for photos in a hard hat and work gloves as he removed it. The box was later returned, and the city's ethics board found that Diny violated Wausau's ethics policy. Prosecutors declined to charge him criminally.

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• Alabama appeals federal court's map ruling to Supreme Court — Alabama's state leadership has filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the federal district court's decision blocking the 2023 congressional map. The appeal seeks to overturn the lower court's finding of intentional racial discrimination and would allow the state to eliminate the second majority-Black congressional district. The appeal signals Alabama's refusal to accept the court's determination of unlawful vote dilution.
• Federal court blocks Alabama's 2023 congressional map for intentional racial discrimination — A federal district court ruled that Alabama's 2023 congressional map was tainted by intentional race-based discrimination against Black voters, violating the 14th Amendment and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The court ordered Alabama to continue using the court-ordered map from the 2024 election cycle, which resulted in the election of Rep. Shomari Figures in the new congressional District 2. Alabama has appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, seeking to eliminate the second majority-Black district.

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• South Carolina Republicans propose redistricting to dismantle James Clyburn's congressional district — South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster called a special legislative session to consider a proposal to redraw the state's sixth congressional district, currently represented by Democrat James Clyburn, the state's only Black Democratic congressman since 1897. The effort follows Trump's urging of Republican lawmakers to redismantle the district after the U.S. Supreme Court gutted key protections in the Voting Rights Act. An earlier redistricting effort stalled on Tuesday, but the special session began Friday. Clyburn characterized the plan as "Jim Crow 2.0" and vowed to run regardless.

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• Louisiana state senate passes bill eliminating one of two majority-Black congressional districts — On Thursday, May 14, the Louisiana state senate voted 27-10 to pass Senate Bill 121, a new congressional redistricting map that would eliminate one of the state's two majority-Black House districts. The map would reshape District 6 (currently represented by Democrat Cleo Fields) from a 250-mile majority-Black district spanning Baton Rouge to Shreveport into a predominantly white suburban district, while preserving District 2 (Troy Carter, Democrat) as majority-Black. The map could give Louisiana Republicans a 5-1 congressional majority. The bill now heads to the state house, which must approve it by June 1.

Supporting reports

• Mississippi governor cancels special session on supreme court redistricting, pledges future congressional map redraw targeting Democratic seat — Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves canceled a special legislative session scheduled to redraw state supreme court districts, citing difficulty in completing the work before the November 2026 midterms. However, Reeves stated he expects the state to redraw its four congressional districts between now and 2027, with explicit focus on eliminating the seat of Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson, Mississippi's only Democratic representative and longest-serving Black elected official. Reeves indicated coordination with the Trump administration on timing and method.
• Mississippi and Southern Republican officials threaten redistricting to eliminate Black congressional districts — Following the Louisiana v Callais decision, Republican officials in Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama announced plans to redraw congressional districts to eliminate or dilute Black representation. Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson and State Auditor Shad White publicly called for redrawing Representative Bennie Thompson's district. Governor Tate Reeves stated it was "not a question of if, it's a question of when" regarding redistricting, referring to Thompson's tenure as a "reign of terror." Tennessee Republicans eliminated the state's sole Black congressional district; Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new map; Alabama prepared maps for use.

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• South Carolina House advances proposal targeting Rep. Jim Clyburn's district — The South Carolina House advanced a proposal that could have allowed lawmakers to target and redraw the congressional district held by Rep. Jim Clyburn, a senior Black member of Congress. The state Senate blocked the effort on May 13 in a 29–17 vote, though organizers noted the fight may not be fully resolved if lawmakers are called back into session.

Supporting reports

• Tennessee governor redraws congressional map eliminating majority-Black district — Tennessee's governor called a special legislative session and signed a new congressional map that divides Memphis and eliminates the state's only majority-Black congressional district. The action was taken in response to the Louisiana v. Callais decision, which weakened Section 2 protections against racially discriminatory redistricting.
• Tennessee Republican lawmakers approved congressional map dismantling majority-Black district — Tennessee Republican lawmakers approved a new congressional map that breaks apart Memphis and Shelby County, eliminating Tennessee's only majority-Black congressional district. The map splits Black voters across three majority-white districts, positioning Republicans to hold all nine of Tennessee's congressional seats after the midterms. This action follows the Supreme Court's April 29 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act as a tool for challenging racially discriminatory maps.
• Tennessee House speaker removes all Democrats from committees — On May 12, 2026, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton removed all House Democrats from standing committees, citing their protests against the mid-decade redistricting as disruptive to legislative processes. This action effectively stripped representation from nearly 2 million Tennesseans, including all Black elected officials in the state legislature.

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• Georgia governor called special session to redraw congressional maps — Georgia Governor Brian Kemp called a special session of the Georgia General Assembly for June 17 to redraw Georgia's congressional maps before the 2028 election. Kemp stated it was too late to change maps for 2026 but that the Callais decision requires Georgia to change its electoral maps. This marks Georgia's third redistricting since 2021.
• Georgia Governor Kemp calls special legislative session to redraw electoral maps — Republican Governor Brian Kemp announced a special legislative session beginning June 17 to redraw Georgia's state legislative and congressional district lines, following the U.S. Supreme Court's dismantling of key Voting Rights Act protections in Louisiana v. Callais. The session aims to "lock in Republican-leaning maps" while Republicans control the legislature and governorship. The move follows similar actions by Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee to redraw districts after the court's decision, which effectively dilutes Black and minority voting power. Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock pledged to oppose the redistricting effort.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court cleared way for Alabama to use racially discriminatory district map — In an unsigned one-paragraph order, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Alabama to use a 2023 congressional district map that lower courts had ruled unconstitutional because it diluted Black voting by spreading Black voters across three districts, violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The Court sent the case back to lower courts to reevaluate in light of the Callais decision, effectively allowing Alabama to proceed with the discriminatory map.
• Supreme Court allows Alabama to eliminate majority-Black congressional district — The Supreme Court overturned a lower court order blocking Alabama's use of a 2023 congressional map that reduces majority-Black districts from two to one ahead of the midterm elections. Alabama lawmakers have already passed a law voiding results of some May 19 congressional primaries and are moving forward with special primary elections for more than half of the state's congressional districts. The ruling effectively permits the dilution of Black voting power.
• US Supreme Court vacates lower court injunction, allows Alabama to use congressional map found to intentionally discriminate against Black voters — The US Supreme Court's conservative majority vacated a lower court's injunction blocking Alabama's 2023 congressional map on Monday, May 12, 2026. A three-judge panel had found the map intentionally diluted Black voting strength in violation of the Voting Rights Act and ordered a remedial map with two majority-Black districts. The Supreme Court offered no explanation for overturning this finding, allowing Alabama to use the discriminatory map in the 2026 midterm elections. The three liberal justices dissented, with Justice Sotomayor criticizing the majority for discarding documented findings of intentional discrimination without sound basis.
• Alabama petitions Supreme Court to reconsider majority-Black district requirement — Alabama filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court requesting that the Court lift a prior court order requiring a congressional map with two majority-Black districts. The Court remanded the case for reconsideration in light of the Louisiana v. Callais decision, potentially allowing Alabama to adopt a legislature-approved map containing only one majority-Black district instead of two.
• Alabama requested Supreme Court revisit order requiring two Black districts — Following the Supreme Court's April 29 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, Alabama asked the Supreme Court to revisit a court order that required the state to draw a congressional map with two largely Black districts. This action is part of a broader pattern of Republican-controlled states moving to redraw or revisit congressional maps in the wake of the weakened Section 2 protections.

Supporting reports

• Louisiana suspends primary election to redraw congressional maps — Following the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais decision, Louisiana's governor suspended the state's ongoing primary election to redraw congressional maps. This action allows the state to implement new district boundaries without the prior constraints of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
• Louisiana suspends U.S. House primaries after absentee ballots distributed — Following the Louisiana v. Callais decision, Louisiana suspended its U.S. House primary elections after more than 100,000 absentee ballots had already been sent to voters and approximately 42,000 voters had already cast ballots. The suspension was undertaken to allow the state to redraw congressional maps in light of the Supreme Court's weakened Section 2 protections.

Supporting reports

• Tennessee repealed 1972 law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting — To enable the new congressional map, Tennessee lawmakers repealed a 1972 state law that prohibited mid-decade redistricting. Gov. Bill Lee signed the repeal approximately one hour after it cleared the Republican supermajority. The repeal was necessary to make the rapid redistricting legally possible and was enacted during a special session whose stated purpose did not include redistricting reform, according to legal challenges filed by the NAACP Tennessee State Conference.
• Tennessee repealed law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting — As part of the special legislative session, Tennessee's Republican supermajority repealed the state's longstanding law that prohibited redistricting between census cycles. The legislature also removed the requirement that election officials notify voters by mail if redistricting changed their polling places or precincts.
• Tennessee legislature enacts new congressional map eliminating majority-Black Memphis district — Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature enacted a new congressional map on May 7, 2026, that carves up the state's only majority-Black congressional district centered in Memphis, splitting it across three Republican-leaning districts. Gov. Bill Lee called a special session on May 5, the legislature repealed a state law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting since 1972, drew the new map, and passed it on May 7. Lee signed it into law the same day. The action followed the Supreme Court's April 29 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act protections for voters of color in redistricting cases.
• Tennessee Republicans approved congressional map dismantling majority-Black district — On May 7, Tennessee Republican lawmakers approved a new congressional map that splits Black voters in Memphis and Shelby County across three majority-white districts stretching hundreds of miles into central Tennessee, dismantling the state's only majority-Black congressional district. The map was unveiled only 24 hours before the vote. To enable mid-decade redistricting, lawmakers first repealed a 1972 state law prohibiting it; Gov. Bill Lee signed the repeal within an hour. The ACLU and civil-rights groups argue the map constitutes intentional racial discrimination and dilutes Black voting power, though Republican leaders defend it as partisan rather than racial redistricting.
• Tennessee Republicans passed new congressional map carving majority-Black Memphis into three Republican districts — On May 7, Tennessee's Republican supermajority passed a new congressional map that splits Shelby County (majority-Black Memphis) across three Republican-controlled districts, weakening the political power of the state's only majority-Black congressional district. The legislature also repealed its longstanding law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting and removed the requirement that election officials notify voters of redistricting changes. Gov. Bill Lee signed the map into law the same day. Protesters filled the state Capitol; state troopers cleared the House gallery; Democratic lawmakers walked out. The NAACP Tennessee State Conference filed an emergency lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court within three hours to block the map.
• Tennessee weakened voter-notice requirements for redistricting changes — The redistricting package weakened direct voter-notice requirements. County election officials will no longer be required under state law to directly notify voters by mail when redistricting changes affect their polling-place assignments, though separate funding was included to reimburse counties that choose to send notices. The Secretary of State's office announced a special qualifying period for U.S. House candidates through noon on May 15, and local reporting indicates the new districts bring changes for some voters and candidates.
• Tennessee legislature cracked Memphis into three districts, diluting Black voting power — The Tennessee legislature, in emergency special session called by Governor Bill Lee, repealed its own law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting and then cracked Memphis—where 60 percent of residents are Black—into three districts. This diluted Black voting power by swamping Black voters with white suburban voters. The action targeted Tennessee's only Democratic member of Congress, who represented Memphis.
• Tennessee legislature redraws congressional maps to eliminate majority-Black 9th District — The Tennessee state legislature voted to redraw congressional district maps, cracking the city of Memphis into three pieces and joining them to white suburbs, thereby converting all state districts to Republican seats. This action directly eliminated the majority-Black 9th Congressional District, stripping Black voters of effective representation. The redistricting followed the Supreme Court's April 29 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which struck down race-conscious district creation under the Voting Rights Act, triggering a wave of Republican-led redistricting nationwide to eliminate Democratic representation.
• Tennessee governor signed new congressional map into law — Gov. Bill Lee signed the new congressional redistricting map into law on May 7, the same day the Republican supermajority passed it. The map redraws the state's only Democratic-held U.S. House seat (Tennessee's 9th District, held by Rep. Steve Cohen and rooted in majority-Black Memphis) by splitting Shelby County across three Republican-leaning districts.
• Tennessee Republicans redrew congressional maps eliminating Democratic district — Tennessee Republicans redrew the state's congressional maps behind closed doors with the explicit goal of eliminating the single Democratic congressional district in the state. The new map breaks up the state's only Black-majority district. Democratic Representative Justin Pearson confronted the Sergeant at Arms who was blocking the door during the redistricting process and was ultimately escorted out by state troopers.

Supporting reports

• Multiple Republican-led states redraw maps to eliminate Democratic seats — Republican-dominated legislatures in Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida have completed redistricting to pick up Republican seats, while Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Alabama are engaged in that process. This coordinated wave of redistricting, triggered by the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais decision, is designed to eliminate majority-Black districts and Democratic representation across multiple states.
• Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina began redistricting efforts — Following the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, Republicans in Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina have taken steps toward mid-decade redistricting. Reuters reports that Republicans have built a net advantage of about four House seats across nine states so far, with outcomes in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Alabama still pending and litigation in Virginia, Florida, and Missouri still capable of changing the picture.

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• Republican lawmakers in Alabama and Louisiana begin redrawing congressional maps to eliminate majority-minority districts — Following the Callais decision, Republican lawmakers in Alabama and Louisiana moved to redraw congressional maps to eliminate all majority-minority districts in those states. These districts are currently held by four Black Democrats. The action represents an immediate legislative response to the Supreme Court's weakening of Section 2 protections, targeting seats that had been protected under the Voting Rights Act framework.

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• Alabama Secretary of State files motion to expedite redistricting case following Callais ruling — Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen filed a motion asking the Supreme Court to expedite consideration of the state's long-running redistricting case in light of the Callais ruling. Allen stated that the expedited review would allow Alabama to "pursue congressional maps that reflect the will of the people" and signaled that officials see an opportunity to reshape the legal landscape in their favor and regain control over congressional mapmaking from court-appointed mapmakers.

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• Indiana state defendants file motion to dismiss voting rights case citing Callais ruling — Indiana state officials filed a motion arguing that plaintiffs' voting rights claims fail under the Supreme Court's updated interpretation of the Voting Rights Act following Callais. The lawsuit challenges Indiana's system of appointing rather than electing judges in certain counties, arguing the policy reduces opportunities for Black voters to elect candidates of their choice. State defendants contended that Section 2 applies only in narrow circumstances and does not cover the claims at issue, and emphasized that Section 2 now requires a "strong inference" of intentional discrimination rather than evidence of discriminatory impact.

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• Mississippi federal court orders new briefing on Voting Rights Act case following Callais ruling — A federal court in Mississippi, which had previously found that the state's Supreme Court districts violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black voting strength, ordered both parties to submit new briefing on how the Callais decision affects the case and what happens next. The order throws uncertainty into a case that had already produced a win for voters, raising the possibility that the prior ruling could be reconsidered and overturned under the stricter legal standard established by Callais.

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• Supreme Court issues Callais v. Louisiana decision gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act — In Callais v. Louisiana, the Supreme Court majority, led by Justice Samuel Alito, issued a ruling that effectively neutralizes Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by imposing new requirements on plaintiffs challenging racially discriminatory voting maps. The decision requires minority voters to prove discriminatory intent rather than discriminatory effect, and to provide alternative maps that maintain the original partisan goals—standards that legal experts say render Section 2 unenforceable in practice. Justice Elena Kagan's dissent argues the ruling "eviscerates" the law despite not formally striking it down.
• United States Supreme Court gutted voting rights protections in racial gerrymandering case — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision this week that eliminated legal protections against racial gerrymandering, reversing decades of civil rights enforcement. The ruling gutted laws that civil rights groups and lawyers had used to ensure Black and Hispanic representation in legislatures throughout the South since at least 1971. The decision removes a key tool for challenging discriminatory redistricting practices.

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• Louisiana suspends congressional primaries midstream to allow legislature time to redraw map — Louisiana officials took the extraordinary step of suspending congressional primaries that were already underway, halting voting midstream to give lawmakers time to draw a new map following the Supreme Court's striking down of the state's congressional map in the Callais case. The map had been sent back to a lower court to determine what should happen next, but before that process could play out, the state suspended the election. The move triggered a separate lawsuit alleging the state is unlawfully nullifying votes.
• Lawsuit filed alleging Louisiana unlawfully nullifying votes through primary suspension — A separate lawsuit was triggered by Louisiana's suspension of congressional primaries, alleging that the state is unlawfully nullifying votes by halting the election midstream. The lawsuit challenges the state's extraordinary action of suspending voting to allow the legislature time to redraw the congressional map.
• Plaintiffs in Louisiana redistricting case urge swift resolution and map implementation — Plaintiffs in the original Louisiana redistricting case filed a motion urging courts to move quickly to implement a new map or impose one if the legislature fails to act. The plaintiffs warned that further delays could leave upcoming elections in limbo, seeking to prevent the uncertainty created by the Callais ruling from disrupting the 2026 elections.

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• Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared state of emergency and suspended primary elections to enable gerrymandering — Following the Louisiana v. Callais decision, Louisiana's Republican Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency and suspended the state's primary elections to allow for redistricting to capture one or two additional Republican seats. Over 100,000 absentee ballots had already been distributed, with some returned and voting scheduled to begin within days. The action violated the constitutional provision granting state legislatures, not governors, authority over the "Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections."
• Louisiana Governor suspended congressional primaries — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed an executive order suspending the state's congressional primaries just two days before early voting was scheduled to begin, citing the Supreme Court's ruling that struck down a majority Black congressional district. The order postponed primaries until July 15 or a new date set by the legislature. State Republican leaders announced plans to pass new congressional maps, effectively using the Supreme Court ruling to delay elections and redraw districts to reduce Black representation.
• Democratic congressional candidate files federal lawsuit to restore Louisiana primary election — Lindsey Garcia, a Democratic congressional candidate in Louisiana's fifth district, filed suit in federal court on Thursday, May 1, 2026, shortly after Governor Landry announced the suspension, arguing that the material number of absentee ballots already returned by mail creates constitutional due process considerations and violates federal election-timing laws. The suit seeks immediate action to restore the suspended congressional primary.
• Democrats filed lawsuit challenging Louisiana's election suspension — Democrats filed a lawsuit against Governor Jeff Landry's suspension of Louisiana's primary elections, arguing that the Constitution grants state legislatures, not governors, the authority to determine the "Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives." The lawsuit sought to allow the election to proceed despite the governor's emergency order.
• Louisiana governor suspends congressional primary election after Supreme Court invalidates voting rights protections — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry suspended the state's congressional primary election on Thursday, May 1, 2026, after early voting had begun, citing a Supreme Court decision (Louisiana v Callais, 6-3) that invalidated portions of the Voting Rights Act and struck down a majority-nonwhite congressional district. Votes cast in the congressional race will not be counted, though other races and constitutional amendments remain on the ballot. The ACLU and voting rights groups filed suit in state court Friday seeking a temporary restraining order, arguing the suspension lacks legal basis under Louisiana law and creates chaos for voters who have already cast absentee ballots.
• Louisiana postpones primary elections following redistricting injunction — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on Thursday, April 30, 2026, that the state would postpone its May 16 primary elections. The state declared itself "enjoined from carrying out congressional elections under the current map" following the Supreme Court's weakening of the Voting Rights Act. Early voting had been scheduled to begin on Saturday. State officials said they were working with the Legislature and Secretary of State to develop a new path forward.

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• Trump directs Tennessee governor to redraw congressional maps — On Thursday, April 30, 2026, Donald Trump posted to Truth Social that he had spoken with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee that morning. Trump stated that Lee "would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps" and claimed that "all of the other Political Representatives of Tennessee have promised to do so." Trump concluded: "This should give us one extra seat," explicitly framing the redistricting as a means to gain a Republican House seat.

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• Supreme Court weakens Voting Rights Act; states initiate emergency redistricting — On Wednesday, April 28, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that severely weakened the landmark Voting Rights Act, eliminating key protections against racial discrimination in voting maps. In immediate response, Louisiana postponed its May primaries, and multiple southern states—Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee—initiated or announced special legislative sessions to redraw congressional districts. Florida's Republican-controlled legislature passed new maps delivering four additional seats to Republicans. Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee announced plans to follow suit, with governors and Republican officials explicitly targeting majority-Black districts for dilution.
• Supreme Court decision weakened Voting Rights Act Section 2 protections — On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Louisiana v. Callais that weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act as a tool for challenging racially discriminatory congressional maps. Within days of the ruling, several Republican-controlled states moved to redraw or revisit congressional maps, including Tennessee, which signed a new map, and Alabama, which asked the Supreme Court to revisit a court order requiring a map with two largely Black districts.
• Supreme Court narrowed Section 2 of Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais ruling — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in Louisiana v. Callais that Louisiana's second majority-Black congressional district (represented by Congressman Cleo Fields) constitutes an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The majority, written by Justice Samuel Alito, held that the Voting Rights Act did not require the state to create the district, eliminating a compelling reason to consider race in redistricting. Justice Elena Kagan's dissent warned the ruling renders Section 2 "all but a dead letter" and permits states to "systematically dilute minority citizens' voting power" without legal consequence. The decision shifts the legal standard from results-based to intent-based scrutiny, requiring plaintiffs to prove discriminatory motive rather than demonstrating discriminatory effect.
• Supreme Court ruling weakens Voting Rights Act Section 2 protections — On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that significantly weakened how Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act can be used to protect voters of color in redistricting cases. For decades, Section 2 has been a central tool for communities to challenge maps and election systems that dilute minority voting power. The Court's ruling gave Republican-led states new grounds to attack majority-Black districts before the midterms.
• Supreme Court weakens Voting Rights Act Section 2 in Louisiana v. Callais decision — On April 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6–3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais that significantly narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act as a tool for challenging racially discriminatory congressional maps. Justice Kagan's dissent warned the ruling "renders Section 2 all but a dead letter." The decision prompted immediate action by Republican-controlled states to redraw maps, including Louisiana suspending House primaries, Tennessee redrawing its map to eliminate its only majority-Black district, and Alabama petitioning the Court to reconsider a prior order requiring two majority-Black districts.
• Supreme Court weakens Voting Rights Act Section 2 protections in Louisiana v. Callais — On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais holding that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act does not require states to create majority-minority congressional districts. The decision makes it substantially harder for voters of color to challenge electoral maps that dilute their political power. Within days, Louisiana's governor suspended the state's primary election to redraw congressional maps, and Alabama filed to reinstate maps a lower court had previously struck down for diluting Black votes.
• Supreme Court weakens Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v Callais ruling — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Louisiana v Callais on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, holding that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act does not require states to draw majority-minority congressional districts. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito affirmed that Louisiana's maps violated the equal protection clause but rejected the use of Section 2 to mandate such districts. The ruling opens the door for Republicans to eliminate majority-minority districts across the South, immediately threatening Black lawmakers Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures in Alabama, who may lose their seats after redistricting in 2028.
• US Supreme Court guts Voting Rights Act Section 2 in Louisiana redistricting case — The US Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais that effectively neutralizes Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the last major provision preventing racial discrimination in voting. The majority, led by Justice Samuel Alito, rewrote the legal test for Section 2 claims to require proof of intentional racial discrimination—a nearly impossible standard—and added new restrictions preventing consideration of race in alternative redistricting maps. The decision permits states to draw districts that dilute minority voting power under the guise of partisan goals.
• US Supreme Court ruling in Callais v. Landry weakens Voting Rights Act Section 2 — The US Supreme Court issued the Callais v. Landry decision, which substantially weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by requiring litigants to prove racial motivations in redistricting rather than allowing challenges based on discriminatory effect. The ruling permits Republican-controlled state legislatures to use partisan gerrymandering as cover for racial vote dilution, particularly targeting concentrated Black voters in urban areas. The decision eliminates protections that had enabled Congress to achieve record racial and ethnic diversity, and threatens to reverse decades of voting-rights gains.
• Supreme Court gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais — On April 29, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6–3 to declare Louisiana's majority-minority congressional district unconstitutional under the Fifteenth Amendment, ruling it an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The decision overturned decades of precedent recognizing that states could create majority-minority districts to remedy historical exclusion of Black voters and ensure Black representation. The ruling eliminated a key enforcement mechanism of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
• Supreme Court gutted voting rights protections for Black-majority districts — On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that eliminated protections for Black-majority districts established under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The decision reversed years of congressional effort to safeguard minority voting power. Following the ruling, Republican-dominated southern state legislatures began redrawing district lines to dilute the votes of Black Democrats, effectively weakening the electoral power of Black communities.
• Supreme Court issues decision in Callais v. Louisiana — The Supreme Court issued a decision in the case Callais v. Louisiana on April 29, 2026. The article indicates this ruling is significant enough to warrant substantial analysis but does not provide details of the holding, reasoning, or outcome within the text provided.
• Supreme Court makes Louisiana v. Callais decision immediately effective — The U.S. Supreme Court made its April 29 decision in Louisiana v. Callais immediately effective, rather than waiting the standard 32 days for finalization. The decision struck down Louisiana's creation of a second congressional district designed to enable Black voters to elect a representative of their choice under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, finding the race-conscious district creation unconstitutional. The immediate effectiveness allowed Louisiana to redraw maps before its primary election, which was already underway.
• Supreme Court rejected majority-minority district interpretation in Louisiana v. Callais — On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a 6–3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais rejecting the longstanding interpretation that states may create majority-minority districts to guarantee Black representation in government. The right-wing justices in the majority declared Louisiana's construction of a majority-minority district unconstitutional under the Fifteenth Amendment, characterizing it as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The ruling continues the Court's dismantling of voting rights protections.
• Supreme Court Decision on Voting Rights Act — The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision that significantly weakens the Voting Rights Act, allowing for increased gerrymandering practices that could disproportionately affect minority voters. This ruling is expected to lead to widespread changes in how electoral districts are drawn, potentially impacting the fairness and representation in future elections across the United States.
• Supreme Court weakened Voting Rights Act provision — The Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling effectively weakening a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that has prohibited racial discrimination in voting for six decades. The decision will allow Republicans to redraw congressional maps in the South, potentially netting the GOP 19 additional House seats compared to 2024 maps and potentially causing the largest drop in Black representation in Congress ever. Justice Elena Kagan's dissent warned the decision renders the provision "all but a dead letter" with "far-reaching and grave" consequences.
• Supreme Court releases opinion in First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport (24-781) — The Supreme Court released an official slip opinion in First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport. Docket number(s): 24-781.
• Supreme Court releases opinion in Louisiana v. Callais (24-109) — The Supreme Court released an official slip opinion in Louisiana v. Callais. Docket number(s): 24-109.
• Supreme Court guts Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais — The Supreme Court issued a decision in Louisiana v. Callais that substantially weakened the Voting Rights Act, enabling Republican-controlled states to pursue aggressive gerrymandering of congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The ruling removes a key federal constraint on partisan map-drawing and follows the Court's 2019 Rucho v. Common Cause decision, which barred federal courts from reviewing partisan gerrymandering claims. Together, these decisions have eliminated judicial oversight of extreme partisan maps.
• Supreme Court gutted Voting Rights Act Section 2 — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision on Wednesday, April 30, 2026, that effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act, particularly Section 2, which had allowed plaintiffs to challenge electoral maps drawn in racially discriminatory ways. The ruling eviscerated protections codified during the civil rights era. Voting rights advocates, including Ashley K Shelton of Power Coalition for Equality and Justice and Anneshia Hardy of Alabama Values, responded by pledging to shift their strategy toward state-level litigation, grassroots organizing, and coalition-building across state lines to restore voting protections.
• Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v Callais eviscerates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act — The U.S. Supreme Court, voting 6-3 along ideological lines, ruled that Louisiana's attempt to create a second electoral district giving African American voters proportionate representation constitutes unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. The decision, authored by Justice Samuel Alito and joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, dismantles a 40-year-old tool used to prevent dilution of minority voting power. The ruling overturns Congressional intent expressed in the original 1965 statute and subsequent reauthorizations, marking the culmination of decades of legal assault on voting rights protections by Roberts and Alito.
• US Supreme Court rules race-based redistricting unconstitutional in Louisiana v Callais — The US Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Louisiana v Callais on April 30, 2026, prohibiting states from using race-conscious redistricting to protect minority voting power. The ruling effectively dismantles Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by requiring proof of intentional racial discrimination rather than discriminatory effect. Multiple southern states, including Louisiana, have already begun redrawing congressional maps to reduce Black voter representation ahead of the November midterm elections.
• Supreme Court ruled in Louisiana v. Callais that race-based redistricting claims require proof of intentional racial discrimination — The Supreme Court's six Republican-appointed justices ruled in Louisiana v. Callais that plaintiffs challenging district lines as racially discriminatory must prove that lawmakers intentionally based their decisions on race rather than partisanship. The decision effectively removed federal court oversight of partisan gerrymandering and opened the door for southern states to redraw maps to shift 10–15 seats from Democrats to Republicans by targeting minority voting power.
• Supreme Court struck down Louisiana congressional map with majority-Black district — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais invalidating Louisiana's congressional redistricting map that included a second majority-Black district. Justice Samuel Alito's majority opinion held that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act did not require the state to create the district. Justice Elena Kagan's dissent characterized the decision as demolishing the Voting Rights Act and rendering Section 2 a dead letter. Within hours, a request was filed to expedite the judgment to allow the state legislature to redraw lines before the 2026 midterms.
• Supreme Court decision in Callais v. Louisiana gutting Voting Rights Act Section 2 — The Supreme Court issued a decision Wednesday striking down core protections of the Voting Rights Act, specifically Section 2. The ruling established that Section 2 violations now require a "strong inference" of intentional discrimination rather than evidence of discriminatory impact on minority voters. The decision immediately triggered chaos across voting rights litigation nationwide, with courts pausing proceedings, state officials moving to dismiss cases, and election administration disrupted as the legal standard for challenging discriminatory maps and election rules became substantially harder to meet.
• Supreme Court Decision in Louisiana v Callais — On April 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in the case of Louisiana v Callais, effectively weakening the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The ruling, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, declared a new 2024 electoral map unconstitutional because it diluted the voting power of white Republican voters, despite previous lower court rulings that supported the creation of a second majority-Black district in Louisiana. This decision has been criticized for undermining protections for Black voters and is seen as a significant step back for racial equality in electoral opportunities.
• US Supreme Court strikes down Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v Callais — The US Supreme Court ruled in Louisiana v Callais, effectively dismantling Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which had been used to ensure minority voters receive fair treatment in district drawing. The decision weakens Black voters' power to elect their own representatives and triggers renewed state-level efforts to enact voting rights protections. Nine states already have state voting rights acts; eleven others have introduced bills to create their own versions in response.
• Supreme Court gutted Voting Rights Act in 6-3 ruling — The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act, eliminating federal protections for voting rights that Congress had established. Justice Elena Kagan dissented, arguing that the decision "will set back the foundational right Congress granted of racial equality in electoral opportunity."

Supporting reports

• Ron DeSantis unveils redistricting proposal for Florida congressional maps — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled a proposal to redraw the state's congressional maps, which he claims is necessary to reflect population changes and fair representation following the 2020 census. The plan, to be debated in a special legislative session beginning April 28, could net Republicans up to four additional House seats and reduce Democratic representation from seven to four seats. If approved by the Republican-controlled legislature, the maps would take effect for the 2026 midterm elections, subject to legal challenges.
• Florida legislature passed new congressional map expanding Republican seats — Florida's legislature passed a new congressional map on the same day as the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, with the state Senate voting 21–17 to send the map to Governor Ron DeSantis, who proposed it and is expected to sign it. Pre-ruling analyses warned that gutting Section 2 protections could help Republican-led states flip as many as 19 majority-minority congressional seats nationwide. The map could give Republicans up to four additional seats in Florida. Litigation is expected to challenge the map.
• Mississippi governor called special legislative session to redraw state Supreme Court election maps — Mississippi's governor called a special legislative session for May 20 to redraw state Supreme Court election maps in light of the Louisiana v. Callais ruling. The action reflects the immediate cascade of redistricting efforts across states following the narrowed Section 2 standard.
• Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn called for special legislative session to redraw congressional map — Within hours of the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, who is running for governor, called on Tennessee lawmakers to reconvene and redraw the state's congressional map. Blackburn explicitly called for a 9–0 Republican map that would eliminate Tennessee's only remaining Democratic district, TN-9, a Memphis-based district historically preserved as Black-majority under the Voting Rights Act. She framed the elimination as partisan strategy while openly targeting a historically Black-majority district. Rep. Steve Cohen, the only Democrat in Tennessee's congressional delegation representing TN-9, announced a press conference the same day to address the ruling's impact.
• Alabama attorney general signals rapid application of weakened Voting Rights Act — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on or before April 30, 2026, that the state "will act as quickly as possible to apply this ruling to Alabama's redistricting efforts." Alabama had been sued after the 2020 redistricting cycle for violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The state currently has two majority-Black districts, including one created only two years prior.
• Florida legislature passes partisan redistricting map expanding Republican seats — Florida's Republican-controlled legislature, recalled into special session by Governor Ron DeSantis, passed new congressional maps on or shortly before April 30, 2026, designed to deliver four additional seats to the Republican Party. The new map gives Republicans advantage in 24 of the state's 28 House seats. Democratic officials characterized the map as an "extreme gerrymander" drawn in closed sessions to silence millions of voters and advance Donald Trump's agenda in the 2026 midterm elections.
• Mississippi announces special legislative session for redistricting — Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced that 21 days after the Supreme Court's April 28 ruling, the state legislature would reconvene for a special session to redraw congressional districts. The redistricting had previously been held pending the Court's decision. Reeves celebrated the ruling on social media. Civil rights leaders warned that Mississippi, the nation's Blackest state, would use the opportunity to suppress Black voting power.
• Tennessee Republican senator targets majority-Black district for elimination — Tennessee Republican Senator and gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn posted on social media shortly after the Supreme Court's April 28 ruling, explicitly urging the state legislature to "reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis," targeting the state's lone majority-Black district. She framed the redistricting as essential to "cement @realDonaldTrump's agenda and the Golden Age of America."
• Ron DeSantis signs gerrymandered congressional map into law — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new congressional district map into law on Monday that restructures districts around Miami, Orlando, and Tampa Bay to provide Republicans an electoral advantage in four additional races for the November 2026 midterm elections. The map packs Democratic voters into fewer districts, forces Democratic representatives Darren Soto and Maxwell Frost to compete for the same voters, weakens Democratic congresswoman Kathy Castor's district, and eliminates the seat of Democratic Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Opponents immediately filed a lawsuit in Leon County challenging the map as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander.