How predominantly Black areas in 6 states have been split up by redistricting
A wave of mid-decade redistricting in six Republican-led states has significantly altered congressional maps, often splitting predominantly Black communities. These changes have reduced the concentration of Black voters in specific districts, impacting political representation.
Why it matters
Redistricting directly influences the balance of power in the U.S. House and raises questions about the efficacy of the Voting Rights Act.
The mid-decade partisan redistricting battle, which President Trump initiated last year, was supercharged by a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act.
The redistricting so far has had a particular impact on majority-Black and plurality-Black congressional districts in Republican-led states.
In several of the GOP-led states that have redrawn maps — Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina — Black communities are no longer linked together and are instead absorbed into majority-white areas.
In the six states listed above, voting is generally racially polarized, with Black voters a major voting bloc for the Democratic Party. Nearly 78% of Black voters in the states voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, for instance.
Republicans have said the new districts are simply about boosting their party ahead of crucial midterm elections.
Here's a look at how Black areas have been changed by the redistricting rush:
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