Get Involved in the Fight for Fair Maps
Today's ruling striking down Louisiana's congressional map and invalidating key protections under the Voting Rights Act is a sobering moment for our state and our democracy. It represents a legal setback, but it also exposes a deeper challenge to the principle that every voter deserves an equal voice in our political process.
In 2022, the Power Coalition was proud to serve as a litigant in Robinson v. Landry, a case in which the court ruled that the Louisiana Legislature violated the Voting Rights Act by passing a congressional map that gave Black voters an opportunity to elect their candidate of choice in only one district. Following that decision, the legislature moved to comply by drawing a fairer map, one that provided Black voters in Louisiana with equitable representation in congressional districts. We were proud once again to participate as interveners in the Callais case, defending the fair map that legislators ultimately enacted.
Today’s decision is incredibly disappointing. But the reality on the ground remains the same. Louisiana's congressional districts must reflect the people who live here. For too long, Black voters in Louisiana and across the country have faced barriers to full and fair representation. That reality cannot be ignored. Our work did not pause after our victory in 2024, and it will not rest because of a setback in 2026.
The court’s decision on the map will not slow our fight, because this fight has never been about a single map. Our work is about ensuring that communities who have historically been sidelined are finally afforded a fair opportunity to participate in the democratic process. It is about affirming that every vote carries equal weight, and that representation is not a privilege reserved for some, but a right guaranteed to all.
Today's outcome does not diminish the resolve of the hundreds of thousands of Louisianians committed to this cause. There is no retreat from the pursuit of fair and representative elections. The effort to ensure that every community has the opportunity to elect leaders who reflect their lived experiences will only intensify.
For those who are discouraged by today’s ruling, just know that your discouragement is part of the plan. They want you to sit down, bow out, and waive the white flag. The Power Coalition is here to reject that offer. We invite you now, in this moment of democratic uncertainty, to stand up, raise your voice, and continue this fight, because we can’t stop until voting rights are realized by every single American.
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Ashley K. Shelton is the founder, president and CEO of the Power Coalition, a statewide civic engagement table in Louisiana that builds power in historically disenfranchised communities through organizing, advocacy and civic engagement. Under her leadership, the coalition has educated and engaged over a million voters statewide. Using an integrated voter engagement strategy, the organization focuses on increasing voter participation and supporting base-building organizations in growing long-term capacity.
What's the Case?
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Black Louisianians, who make up one-third of the state’s population, organized, legislated, and litigated for years for the promise of a fair and representative congressional map.
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Finally, they won this fight and achieved a map with two districts where Black voters had a real opportunity to elect their candidates of choice
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Now, opponents of Louisiana’s congressional map — and the State itself — are trying to contort a case challenging that map into an outright attack on the VRA.
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SCOTUS heard arguments in March 2025 and has now ordered re-arguments for October 15, 2025, specifically to address the question of whether the “intentional creation of a second majority-minority congressional district violates the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments.”
Main Takeaways
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Representation is Citizenship. If Black voters cannot elect candidates of choice, then representation is incomplete — and democracy is weakened.
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60 Years Later, Still Fighting. On the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the very protections people died for remain under attack. We cannot let history repeat itself.
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Protect the Promise. The 14th and 15th Amendments were written to defend the rights of formerly enslaved people and their descendants. They must not be weaponized against these very communities.
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Fighting for Fair Maps. This is not about partisanship — it’s about fairness, equality, and rules that everyone can trust.
Why It Matters
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Section 2 of the VRA is at stake. It was designed to stop vote dilution and ensure communities of color can elect representatives of their choice. Weakening it would strip away one of the last remaining protections of the VRA.
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The Constitution is being flipped. The 14th and 15th Amendments were written to protect Black voters after the Civil War. Now, they’re being reinterpreted to protect those already in power and undermine equal representation.
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Louisiana sets the precedent. A ruling against Black voters could open the door for states nationwide to eliminate majority-minority districts, dismantling decades of civil rights progress.
- Contiguity: Every district has to remain connected–they can’t “jump” from one place to another.
- Compactness: With few exceptions, districts shouldn’t be drawn in extremely odd shapes.
- Communities of Interest:This one can be very subjective, and is the most controversial. Generally, districts should try to keep populations that share interests--e.g., fishing communities--together as much as possible.
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- Redistricting plays a critical role in who runs for office, who is elected, and how they vote once they’re in office.
- It’s one of the most important factors in determining who represents you and how they represent you.
who runs for office
who is elected
how they vote
- Your local, state, and federal elected representatives make decisions that impact your everyday life, like economic opportunity, healthcare, schools, roads, and so much more.
- The makeup of a district can significantly influence how and whether elected officials respond to a community’s needs.
- Redistricting only happens once every 10 years, and the policy impact can last even longer. We can’t miss this chance to demand fair and representative districts.
Louisiana Legislature
- U.S. Congress
- State Senate & House
- State Supreme Court
- Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE)
- Public Service Commission (PSC)
- The public plays a key role in determining how the redistricting process plays out and how the district lines are ultimately drawn.
- Submit comments during public redistricting hearings.
- Anyone can do it.
Local Governments
- City Council
- Parish Council
- Police Jury
- Judicial
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