‘Justice delayed’: Supreme Court delay helps South Carolina Republicans win the right to use a map that dilutes the Black vote

A conundrum has emerged in South Carolina: A federal court has allowed a Republican-drawn congressional map to be utilized in the 2024 election, though the court had previously found it discriminated against Black voters.

Last yr, a three-judge panel threw out a map of South Carolina’s 1st District, represented by GOP incumbent Nancy Mace, after the justices found that Republicans impermissibly used race in redrawing the map after the 2020 census. . In an effort to consolidate Republican control, lawmakers moved 30,000 black voters from the district to a neighboring one, according to several reports.

The state appealed the earlier ruling, and although the U.S. Supreme Court delayed deciding a case brought by civil rights groups, a lower court allowed the same map to be utilized in this yr’s election, a major victory for Republicans in the Legislature.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Alexander v. South Carolina Conference of the NAACP on October 11 and, according to reports, appeared ready to allow the GOP map to remain.

“Today’s ruling by the Court, by further delaying these proceedings, continues to tip the scales of justice at a pivotal moment in our democracy, constituting an undemocratic attempt to influence the outcome of the upcoming election,” South Carolina NAACP State Conference President Brenda, Murray said after the ruling. “We must strive for a system where every voice is heard and every voice counts, free from the stain of discrimination.”

The South Carolina ruling echoes similar cases through which judges in southern states like Georgia and Louisiana allowed congressional maps to be drawn that weaken the rights of black voters and other people of color.

The story caused a stir amongst some South Carolinians, who expressed outrage at the court’s decision to allow the publication of a map that threatened the rights of black voters. As the 2024 election approaches, tensions are rising in South Carolina.

Issues surrounding discriminatory maps are a stark reminder of the ongoing fight for fair representation in the United States. This prompted civil rights groups to proceed looking for justice for the rights of black voters.

Leah Aden, an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, presented this case last yr. “A second election on a poor map is a delay of justice when plaintiffs have made every effort to obtain a decision and relief before another election on a map that denies them their rights,” Aden said in a statement. “As with every civil rights fight, we will be relentless in fighting for our constitutional rights.”

The Washington Post reported that although South Carolina appealed, the Supreme Court was asked to expedite the case to ensure a final ruling can be issued well before the election. A majority of the justices signaled they were inclined to allow the state to use a map drawn by lawmakers at the time.

The decision noted that courts typically don’t allow the use of maps once they are found to be invalid. “But with the primary elections approaching, appeals to the Supreme Court still pending, and the absence of a remedial plan, the ideal must become practice,” the justices wrote.

Another contested district map in Utah is before the state Supreme Court, Mark Gaber of the Campaign Legal Center told ProPublica. Gaber, whose work involves representing plaintiffs in a partisan gerrymandering lawsuit, said the court is unlikely to rule on the case before the election.

“Long and prolonged delays are a real problem for voting rights, and especially for Black voters,” Gaber he told the outlet.

The justices are expected to issue their decision in a preliminary appeal by the end of June, potentially creating a latest state map ahead of the 2026 congressional elections, according to Roll Call.

‘Justice delayed’: Supreme Court delay helps South Carolina Republicans win the right to use a map that dilutes the Black vote