A federal court has ruled that this year's congressional elections in South Carolina will be conducted using a map previously deemed unconstitutional and discriminatory against Black voters. The decision comes as the Supreme Court has yet to issue a ruling on the case, with primary elections in South Carolina scheduled for June 11 and early voting starting on May 28.
The case centers on South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace. Last year, a panel of federal judges ordered the state to redraw the district after finding that race was used as a proxy for partisan affiliation, violating the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
Following redistricting driven by the 2020 census, Mace won reelection by a significant margin. Civil rights groups challenged the new map, alleging that it disenfranchised Black voters by making the district safer for Republicans.
The state legislature, led by Republicans, defended the new map, attributing the changes to population shifts and partisan considerations rather than race. The Supreme Court heard arguments on the case last year but has not yet issued a decision.
Despite requests for a ruling by January 1 to allow for orderly election preparations, the Supreme Court's decision is still pending. The American Civil Liberties Union, representing the NAACP and voter Taiwan Scott, criticized South Carolina's failure to address the racially gerrymandered map, accusing the legislature of perpetuating voter suppression.
While the case is ongoing, the upcoming congressional elections in South Carolina will proceed under the disputed map. The outcome of this legal battle will have significant implications for the representation of Black voters in the state.
