Little Rock, Arkansas – A three-judge court dismissed a portion of a case on Monday that contested the new congressional district boundaries in Arkansas, which divided the Little Rock region across three congressional districts.
The lawsuit contesting the redistricting plan passed by the majority-Republican Legislature last year was dismissed by a court panel after some of the constitutional arguments were rejected.
The new map allegedly violates the Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act by expelling 23,000 primarily Black voters from the 2nd District in central Arkansas, according to a lawsuit brought by two Black Democratic politicians and four other locals. The first and fourth congressional districts in the state each received a portion of those voters.
The decision granted the locals 30 days to submit a revised case that concentrated on their remaining allegations that the new map contravenes the federal Voting Rights Act and the Constitution. The complaint argued that the altered map lessened the power of Black voters.
“What we can say at this stage is that the plaintiffs are a few specific factual allegations short of pleading a plausible vote-dilution claim,” the judges’ ruling said.
Heavily Democratic Pulaski County, which includes the Little Rock area, is currently in the 2nd District.
Asa Hutchinson, a Republican governor, and the state of Arkansas were also dropped as defendants in the complaint by the judges.
An attorney for the residents expressed optimism for the lawsuit’s remaining allegations.
“I am cautiously optimistic that we have claims that are legitimate and the court will recognize and allow to proceed,” attorney Richard Mays said.