A Louisiana Congressional District case that the U.S. Supreme declined to hear this week could have major implications for Washington Parish’s representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 2022 as the state legislature was tasked with realigning Louisiana’s Congressional Districts following the 2020 Census, there was a push to create a second black majority district in the state. Currently, despite having a 33% black population, only one of Louisiana’s six Congressional seats has a majority of black voters. The state has five white Congressmen and one black Congressman.
A federal judge ordered the legislature to redraw the state’s Congressional districts to create a second majority black district.
There was concern among some local officials that redrawing the districts might result in Washington Parish being moved to a new district or, even worse, being split among two districts.
But while the redistricting plans were still being debated, the State of Louisiana appealed the judge’s order. A stay, or delay, was placed on the judge’s order to create a second majority black district.
But this week the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the stay and sent the case back to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is expected to hear the case in advance of the 2024 Congressional election.
If the decision is made that a new majority black congressional district will be created, it will require reshaping the state’s current six Congressional districts. That’s where Washington Parish may come into play, because some preliminary maps from last year showed the parish being moved or split.
At presstime this week, neither state Sen. Beth Mizell or state Rep. Malinda White could be reached for comment. But based on their responses to last year’s redistricting proposals, they are expected to be opposed to any change in Washington Parish’s Congressional representation. Currently, the parish is represented in Congress by Rep. Julia Letlow of the Monroe area.
The 5th Congressional District is the largest in the state in terms of land area. It goes from Bogalusa on its eastern edge to Alexandria on its western edge. It goes north all the way to the Mississippi state line.
