Black unemployment is 6.6 percent as Callais reshapes map fights

The October jobs report put Black unemployment at 6.6 percent, nearly double the White rate of 3.7 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Separately, the Supreme Court's Callais ruling made it harder for voters to challenge maps like Louisiana's, which had a second majority-Black district. Both stories below start with what they mean for a voter or a paycheck.

Callais raised the bar for challenging maps

For a Louisiana voter, the Supreme Court's April 29, 2026 decision in Louisiana v. Callais means the state's map with a second majority-Black district was struck down, by a 6-3 vote. Black residents make up roughly one-third of Louisiana's population, and the 2024 version of that map led to Cleo Fields being elected in the second majority-Black district, according to SCOTUSblog's account of the ruling.

The Court did not strike down Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. But Justice Alito wrote that people challenging a map must show racial bloc voting that partisan affiliation cannot explain. He also wrote that Louisiana did not need the extra district to comply with the law, because the challengers failed at every Gingles step. In explaining the ruling, he said Black voters now take part in elections at rates similar to the rest of the electorate.

Justice Kagan, dissenting, said the decision left Section 2 "all but a dead letter." She argued the new requirements protect any districting plan that has a race-neutral justification, partisanship included. In practice, a map can be defended as partisan rather than racial, and the legal bar to challenge it is higher. That is analysis, built on the opinions as SCOTUSblog describes them.

What can a voter do? Confirm which district you are in through your state election office, and check your registration before the next election. Our sources do not say how or when any state will redraw its lines, so watch for announcements from your state's redistricting process.

October hiring beat forecasts, but pay barely keeps up

Employers added 165,000 jobs in October, and the overall unemployment rate was little changed at 4.1 percent, the BLS reported. That beat the prior 12-month average monthly gain of 48,000, and August and September were revised up by a combined 84,000. Atlanta News First reported the gain was nearly triple the 59,000 economists expected. The report came three days after the midterm elections.

The details are more mixed. Average hourly earnings rose 0.4 percent to $38.00 and are up 3.1 percent over 12 months. Atlanta News First noted that wage growth beat expectations but sits below the latest inflation rate, so paychecks are not stretching further. Involuntary part-time employment rose by 339,000 to 4.8 million, meaning more people working fewer hours than they want. The broader U-6 rate rose from 7.6% to 7.9%. Government employment showed little change, and the overall jobless rate has stayed between 4.1 and 4.3 percent since March.

For a worker, the lesson is to look past the headline: hours and pay matter as much as the count of jobs.

Black unemployment sits at 6.6 percent, and the gap remains

The BLS release puts the Black unemployment rate at 6.6 percent in October, down 0.4 point from 7.0 percent in September. BLS describes the October rate as little changed, so one month is not a trend. White unemployment was 3.7 percent, so the Black rate remains nearly double.

TheGrio reported that September's 7% was a full point above the month before, and that during Trump's second term the Black jobless rate has ranged from 6% to 8.2%. Economist Angela Hanks told the outlet that Black workers feel downturns or uncertainty first, and described a low-hire, low-fire market where switching jobs brings smaller raises. Economist Gbenga Ajilore said the rise has been driven by Black women and by federal job losses of over 300,000 in a year and a half.

The same report cited a Federal Reserve annual report finding that average income and net worth of Black households fell in 2025. For a family on one paycheck, that means a steady rate matters less than whether hours and pay recover. If your hours have been cut or you have lost work, your state's workforce agency is the place to ask about unemployment benefits and job services.

This edition covers Callais and the jobs data. For certified midterm results, go to your state election office. To get each edition in your inbox, use the email sign-up on this site.

Quick answers

Where can I find certified midterm results?

Your state election office publishes them. This edition does not carry results, so check that office directly, and use the email sign-up here to get future editions.

What did Callais change for Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act?

The Court struck down Louisiana's map with a second majority-Black district but did not strike down Section 2. Challengers must now show racial bloc voting that partisanship cannot explain.

What is the Black unemployment rate now?

BLS put it at 6.6 percent in October, which it called little changed, against 3.7 percent for White workers.