Voting rights groups sue to block Louisiana from suspending primary elections
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of Louisiana voting rights groups to block Governor Jeff Landry and Secretary of State Nancy Landry from suspending the state's congressional elections after early voting had begun.
- Governor Landry suspended the congressional primary election to redraw districts for the 2026 election following a Supreme Court decision that invalidated parts of the Voting Rights Act and ruled a majority-nonwhite district unconstitutional.
- While other races and constitutional amendments remain on the ballot, votes for the suspended congressional race will not be counted, prompting concerns about voter disenfranchisement, especially for those who already cast absentee ballots.
- Voting rights organizations and individual voters argue the suspension is unjustified under Louisiana law, which only permits election delays due to emergencies like natural disasters, and have sought a temporary restraining order in state court.
- A separate federal lawsuit was also filed to restore the suspended congressional primary elections immediately.
