Springfield, IL — Today, in its decision in Louisiana v. Callais, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the core requirement of the Voting Rights Act to protect minority opportunity districts. With this decision, the Court overturned decades of precedent and undercut a core victory of the Civil Rights Movement. Today, the Court has opened the door to diluting Black, Latino, AANHPI, and Native American representation across the country, especially in the South, where Republicans have made clear they want to split the voting power of minority communities.
In response, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez released the following statement:
“Few words can express the exhaustion and fear families across Illinois are experiencing because of this regressive Supreme Court. Instead of moving our nation into a better, more fair, more representative union, we’re witnessing an attack on the right to vote—a right that so many people, including folks right here in Illinois, have fought for. The GOP knows that their economy, agenda and legislative record is deeply unpopular and they’re willing to completely undermine our Democracy to keep themselves in power. I don’t expect the Illinois Republican Party to speak out against this, but they should be ashamed by this court ruling.”
In September, Trump’s DOJ explicitly asked the Court to allow Republican legislators to weaken, and in some cases eliminate, the voting power of communities of color. The administration’s request — and today’s decision — go hand in hand with Trump and Republicans’ plot to rig congressional maps to dilute the voting power of Black and Latino voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Today’s decision gives Republican legislatures and governors the power to undermine the power of Black, Latino, AANHPI, and Native American voters in their states — and where they choose to, Democrats will push back all across the country, every step of the way.
