NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Democratic Party, along with other plaintiffs, filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee challenging the legality of the state’s new congressional map, which eliminated a majority-Black voting district and will cause chaos for voters ahead of the elections. This lawsuit follows the Republican-led Tennessee General Assembly’s passage of a new Congressional map during a rushed special session ordered by Governor Bill Lee after the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent blow to the Voting Rights Act in its Louisiana v. Callais decision.
The Tennessee Democratic Party supported multiple events this week to call for fair maps and fair representation, ranging from a virtual public briefing with over 300 attendees to hear from Tennessee Democratic leadership, to several rallies at the Tennessee State Capitol alongside dozens of partner organizations.
The following is a statement from the Tennessee Democratic Party Chair, Rachel Campbell:
“The Tennessee Democratic Party has made one thing clear from the very beginning: we are taking this fight everywhere it must be fought, at the polls, in the courts, and in the streets. We are outraged that Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee Republicans are attempting to roll back generations of civil rights progress in just three days through a redistricting scheme designed to unlawfully silence Black voters. This is not only racist, it’s reckless. Changing the rules midstream will create chaos for voters and throw communities into upheaval. We will fight these racially gerrymandered maps tooth and nail because the future of democracy in Tennessee, across the South, and throughout this nation depends on it.”
Press or media seeking further details about the pending litigation may reach out to contact above for official information and case-related materials.
The Tennessee Democratic Party fights for an economy that puts working people first. We believe in a Tennessee where everyone gets a fair shot — a Tennessee where all of us can thrive.
