The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals recently made a significant ruling that impacts the Voting Rights Act in redistricting cases, particularly in the South. The court ruled against the Justice Department and voters of color who challenged the redrawing of Galveston, Texas’s county commission map, which dismantled a district where minorities were the majority.
The conservative appeals court reversed its previous precedent that allowed multiple minority groups to join together in challenges to alleged discriminatory redistricting plans under the VRA. Circuit Judge Edith Jones stated in the majority opinion that coalition districts are not in line with the text of the Voting Rights Act.
In the Galveston case, the county was accused of violating the VRA by breaking up a commission district that had a significant Black and Hispanic population. The redrawn map now favors White residents, who predominantly support Republicans in the area.
The trial judge had previously struck down the redrawn map, criticizing the county's actions as stark and mean-spirited. The case will now return to the trial court to determine if the map was redrawn with discriminatory intent.
Experts note that coalition district claims are rare due to the specific circumstances required for success. The 5th Circuit's ruling will affect Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, where map-drawers were previously subject to federal approval for redistricting plans until a 2013 Supreme Court ruling.
A dissenting opinion by Circuit Judge Dana Douglas and Democratic-appointed judges expressed concern that the majority's ruling undermines the effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act in the circuit.
While the ruling has sparked mixed reactions, with some praising it as a win for the rule of law and others expressing disappointment, the implications of this decision on future redistricting cases remain to be seen.
