‘They want the country to be what it was in 1776’: anger in Memphis after Republicans redraw voting maps
Summary
Tennessee Republicans redrew the state's congressional voting districts, breaking up Memphis’s Democratic, Black-majority district and spreading its Black voters across three districts. This change follows a recent Supreme Court decision that weakened a key part of the Voting Rights Act, which had protected against racial discrimination in voting.Key Facts
- Tennessee’s ninth congressional district, covering Memphis, was split into three parts to divide its Black voters.
- All nine of Tennessee’s congressional districts under the new map lean Republican.
- The redistricting happened shortly after the Supreme Court reduced protections of the Voting Rights Act.
- Memphis’s ninth district had only elected Democratic representatives for over 40 years before being redrawn.
- The new map divides mostly Black voters into different districts while keeping most white voters together.
- Many residents feel the changes reduce political power for Memphis’s Black community.
- The area shows clear signs of economic inequality and long-standing housing discrimination.
- Tennessee lawmakers who supported the redistricting say the changes are legal and necessary.
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