Code Switch How the Supreme Court gutted Black voting power
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May 9, 2026 
Hansi Lo Wang, NPR correspondent who covers voting rights and election law, breaks down the Supreme Court decision that reshapes redistricting. He explains the new intent requirement for challenges, the risks to majority-Black districts, and who may be blocked from enforcing voting-rights protections. Short, clear takes on the legal shifts that could shrink Black political representation.
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Voting Rights Act Dramatically Expanded Black Participation
- The Voting Rights Act of 1965 transformed U.S. democracy by massively increasing Black voter registration and representation.
- In Tennessee Black registration jumped from ~27% to 71% within two years after the Act, illustrating its concrete impact.
Court Raised Standard To Prove Vote Dilution
- The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Roberts has steadily weakened the VRA, culminating in a recent decision that raises the legal bar for proving racial vote dilution.
- The court now requires proof of intentional discrimination rather than just discriminatory effects, making challenges far harder.
Louisiana Lawsuit Over Missing Majority Black District
- The Louisiana case targeted a second majority-Black congressional district after Black voters sued the state's original map post-2020 census.
- The original map had one majority-Black district out of six despite ~1 in 3 Louisianans being Black, prompting the lawsuit.