
New York Attorney General Letitia James is leading a coalition of 20 attorneys general to support Louisiana’s right to redraw its congressional map, which now includes two majority-Black districts, after a previous map was found likely in violation of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). Their stance was solidified in an amicus brief filed in the case of Louisiana v. Callais, as mentioned in a press release from James' office. The coalition argues that states are granted constitutional "breathing room" to rectify likely VRA violations through legislative map redrawing. James emphasized, "Voters should be empowered to pick their representatives, not the other way around."
Following a federal court ruling in 2022 that Louisiana's map likely diluted the votes of Black residents, the state legislature stepped in with a new map for 2024. Their creation included a second majority-Black district to comply with VRA requirements. However, this action was contested by a lawsuit in the Western District of Louisiana, where certain “non-African American voters” claimed the new map violated the Equal Protection Clause. The subsequent legal back-and-forth has ensnared Louisiana, with the Supreme Court now set to weigh in, as reported by the New York State Attorney General's Office.
The attorneys general contend that the courts' recognition of VRA violations provided Louisiana a solid reason to derive a map with an additional majority-Black district, without contravening the constitution. Additionally, the amicus brief urges the Supreme Court to dismiss arguments from Alabama and other states aiming to overturn the established interpretation of Section 2 of the VRA. Other states joining AG James in filing this brief include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, and several others.
Attorney General James' leadership in defending voting rights extends beyond this case. Her office successfully defended New York's Early Mail Voter Act in August 2024, and, she secured financial penalties against individuals intimidating Black voters in April of the same year. Furthermore, "Before every general and primary election, Attorney General James issues alerts to ensure New Yorkers are aware of their voting rights" and offers assistance through the OAG's Election Protection Hotline. Her targeted efforts coincided with the strife to maintain equal voting access faced by Black Georgians, in opposition to Georgia's law perceived to suppress their votes, according to, the New York State Attorney General's Office.