Redistricting is a process in which, after the census is conducted at the start of every decade, state legislatures evaluate and redraw their state’s electoral maps, usually to account for changes in population and shifting demographics as people move out of state or consolidate in different urban areas. These maps determine the districts to which residents are assigned when they vote on who will represent them in federal, state, and local government bodies. Redistricting determines the boundaries for congressional districts, state legislative districts, and local districts, like school boards, city councils, and county commissions. It also sometimes determines those for other statewide or sub-state bodies, such as state boards of education, utility commissions, and judicial districts.
Electoral maps can hide mechanisms to silence Black voters and drastically impact Black voters’ opportunities to elect candidates of their choice who understand their experiences and will prioritize policies that communities desire. Disproportionate representation and the “packing and cracking” of Black voters in and out of districts can shut Black voters out of the political process, both infringing on their right to participate equally in their democracy and potentially diminishing their trust in their government. The district you vote in can affect every part of your life. And fair legislative maps mean you have an opportunity to make positive changes in areas that impact you every day. Fair maps mean having a voice in lower prices, better schools, safer streets, accessible health care, fresher food, and so much more. Fair maps mean a chance to make lasting changes for the better.
LDF has been on the frontlines to defend all voters’ right to fair representation at every level of government. Discriminatory redistricting maps are a catalyst for oppressive legislation that targets our most vulnerable and historically abused communities. However, we know that when diverse communities are fairly represented, quality of life improves for all. Achieving equal representation and being able to cast equal and effective votes depends in part on redistricting maps that are drawn fairly to reflect and respect our communities.
Here, we’ve compiled a state-by-state look at our work to fight for fair maps and fair representation at every level. Since the redistricting process kicked off in 2021, LDF been working tirelessly to ensure equal representation in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia.
Case: Voting Rights and Redistricting McClure, Et Al. V. Jefferson County Commission Challenging Racial Gerrymandering in Jefferson County, Alabama Filed: April 2023Decision Issued: Sept.
Today, a federal court for the Northern District of Alabama denied a motion to dismiss and ruled that a lawsuit filed by the Legal
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A district court in Alabama today ordered the state to adopt a congressional map that includes two districts where Black voters
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Alabama’s attempt to defy its orders to draw a fair congressional map and has allowed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 5, 2023 CONTACT: Phoebe Plagens, LDF, pplagens@naacpldf.org Inga Sarda-Sorensen, ACLU National, 347-514-3984, isarda-sorensen@aclu.org Jose Vazquez, ACLU of Alabama, jvazquez@aclualabama.org Court
Plaintiffs respond to the Alabama Legislature passing another congressional map that lacks a second majority-Black district, in direct violation of federal law and the
CONTACT: Ella Wiley, ACLU, ewiley@aclu.org Ali DeFazio, ACLU of Louisiana, media@laaclu.org Troi Barnes, LDF, 929-736-1528, tbarnes@naacpldf.org New Orleans, La. – Oral argument concluded today
Case: Political Participation Nairne v. Landry* Fighting for fair state legislative maps and representation in Louisiana. Filed: March 2022Decision Issued: Aug. 14, 2025 *Formerly
WASHINGTON —The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to review the case of Robinson v. Callais, which could determine how congressional maps are drawn in
On August 29, a majority of the en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a decision that
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Black voters asked the Supreme Court to take up a case to determine whether Louisiana will maintain the map enacted
Today, the full Fifth Circuit will hear oral argument to reconsider a lower federal court order that upheld the landmark Chisom consent decree which came
Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) and coalition partners sent a letter to the Mississippi Standing Joint Legislative Committee on
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal court in South Carolina heard closing arguments today in a major voting rights case challenging the state’s new congressional
In a victory for voting rights, South Carolina has passed maps adjusting South Carolina state House district lines in some of the most historically
Today, the Legal Defense Fund, the South Carolina NAACP, and the ACLU of South Carolina sent a letter to the North Charleston, South Carolina
Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the South Carolina NAACP, and the ACLU of South Carolina sent a letter to the
Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of South Carolina, Boroughs Bryant LLC, Arnold &
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) and coalition partners submitted joint testimony to the South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee’s Redistricting Subcommittee
Read a PDF of our statement here. Today, after succeeding in convincing county lawmakers to pass a new map that provides fair representation to
Case: Voting Rights and Redistricting NAACP Fayette-Somerville Branch, et al. v. Fayette County, Tennessee, et al. Fighting for fair maps and representation in Fayette
Today, the Legal Defense Fund and Donati Law, PLLC filed a lawsuit on behalf of 5 individual Black voters and the Fayette-Somerville Branch of
UPDATE: On August 17, 2025, the Legal Defense Fund; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute; the Houston Area Urban League;
Today, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit against the State of Texas, alleging that new congressional and state-level legislative districts passed
On October 27, 2021, the Waller County, Texas Commissioners Court held the final scheduled public hearing on redistricting. LDF submitted a supplemental letter in
On October 25, 2021, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) submitted a letter and an updated redistricting map—Appendix C— to the
On October 19, 2021, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) sent a letter to members of the Waller County, Texas Commissioners
At the Supreme Court, LDF argued that a congressional map that was in place during the 2024 election cycle should remain because it satisfies both the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
This piece explores how three states with discriminatory maps have shirked their responsibilities to their constituents, paving the way for the passage of oppressive legislation.
Understanding the role of race in the redistricting process as a means of ensuring equitable representation and political power is critical.
Despite its major influence on elections and people’s lives, however, redistricting is complicated and easily misunderstood. We break down how redistricting works and how communities canengage
We’ve compiled answers to frequently asked questions about the seminal U.S. Supreme Court case Allen v. Milligan and its impact on voting rights and redistricting.
LDF Report
LDF, MALDEF, and AAJC published a guide to the redistricting process, outlining how communities can get involved and advocate for fair maps.
