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Louisiana governor vetoes congressional district maps drawn by legislature

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, (R) pictured sitting next to former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos at the White House in February 2019, has vetoed congressional district maps drawn by the GOP controlled Louisiana legislature. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, (R) pictured sitting next to former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos at the White House in February 2019, has vetoed congressional district maps drawn by the GOP controlled Louisiana legislature. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

March 10 (UPI) -- Louisiana Gov. Bel Edwards has vetoed the congressional redistricting map drawn by the state legislature, asserting that it "runs afoul of federal law."

In a Wednesday press statement, Gov. Edwards also said the congressional map does not add a second majority minority district.

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The governor said he also won't sign the state House and Senate district political district maps, allowing them to become law without his signature.

"I have vetoed the proposed congressional map drawn by Louisiana's Legislature because it does not include a second majority African American district, despite Black voters making up almost a third of Louisianans per the latest U.S. Census data," Gov. Edwards said in the press statement.

"This map is simply not fair to the people of Louisiana and does not meet the standards set forth in the federal Voting Rights Act," Edwards said.

The governor said the Louisiana legislature should immediately start work on drawing a congressional district map that ensures Black voices can be properly heard in the voting booth.

Regarding the state legislative district maps, Edwards said, "I do not believe the Legislature has the ability to draw new state House and Senate maps during this upcoming legislative session without the process halting the important work of the state of Louisiana."

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On Monday the U.S. Supreme Court opted to allow redistricting maps drawn up by state courts in Pennsylvania and North Carolina to remain in place over the objections of Republican officials and lawmakers in the two states.

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