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This erosion of representation is a form of civic erasure. When a map is drawn to prioritize the convenience of the powerful over the reality of the people, the bond between the governed and the governor is severed. The history of the Voting Rights Act was built on the understanding that democracy is not just about the right to cast a ballot, but the right for that ballot to have a meaningful impact. If Louisiana v. Callais creates a precedent where states can ignore the “community of interest” and focus instead on “compactness” as a way to dilute minority influence, the result is a sterile, hollowed-out version of democracy. It is a world where people exist on the census, but vanish from the legislature.
