A federal court has ruled that South Carolina’s congressional elections this year will proceed under a map previously deemed unconstitutional and discriminatory against Black voters. This decision comes as the Supreme Court has yet to finalize its judgement on the case, with critical voting deadlines rapidly approaching. The panel of three federal judges in South Carolina highlighted the practical challenges of implementing a new map in time for the primaries on June 11 and early voting starting May 28, citing the impracticality of changes given the April 27 deadline for overseas absentee ballots.
The controversy centers around the state’s 1st Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace. The district, extending from Charleston to Hilton Head Island, was ordered to be redrawn last year by the same three-judge panel after it was determined that race was improperly used as a proxy for partisan affiliation, violating the 14th Amendment. Despite changes following the 2020 census, civil rights groups accused the state legislature of intentionally removing Black voters to favor Republicans.
The lawsuit, brought by civil rights organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the NAACP and voter Taiwan Scott, aimed to challenge the redrawn district’s constitutionality. The Supreme Court’s pending decision has left the state in a limbo, with both sides having hoped for a resolution by January 1 to prepare for the elections.
The American Civil Liberties Union criticized the latest court decision, vowing to continue fighting against what it sees as voter suppression and a disregard for the rights of Black voters. The state’s defense argued that the congressional map adjustments were driven by partisan goals and demographic changes, not racial considerations.
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