BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A civil rights organization has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the maps used to elect Louisiana's seven state Supreme Court justices as discriminatory against African American voters.Just a couple of notes here. The Secretary of State is up for reelection himself this year which could affect any decisions made with regard to this lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Baton Rouge, seeks a declaration that the districts violate the federal Voting Rights Act. It also seeks an order that the district boundaries be re-drawn.
The Washington, D.C.-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP and two black voters.
The Louisiana Supreme Court says it doesn't comment on pending litigation. A statement from the Secretary of State's office, which oversees elections, said the office had not yet been served with the lawsuit "but will thoroughly and vigorously review any litigation at the appropriate time."
Also one of these state Supreme Court seats under dispute is now open thanks to the departure of Greg Guidry who was recently appointed to a seat the Eastern District of Louisiana Federal Court. The "heavily Republican district," according to this article, has drawn at least three candidates that I can count so far. That article names Jefferson Parish judge Scott Schlegel as well as Covington attorney Richard Ducote. According to this, State Appellate Judge Will Crain has also announced he is running.
Don't know how the lawsuit affects these elections this year yet. But it's something to keep an eye on.
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