WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court decided Monday to make its ruling that Louisiana's congressional maps are unconstitutional to go into effect immediately, putting aside a customary 32-day waiting period for an opinion to become a certified judgement. 

Following Wednesday's ruling to strike down the map with a second majority Black congressional district, Governor Jeff Landry and Secretary of State Nancy Landry enacted an executive order to suspend voting for the U.S. House primary race just two days before early voting started.

Baton Rouge community activist Eugene Collins and Lindsay Garcia, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House 5th Congressional District, filed a federal lawsuit against Landry, alleging the decision would disenfranchise voters, especially those who vote by mail. The lawsuit also said the sudden change went against a standard waiting period for Supreme Court decisions to take effect. 

In Monday's ruling, Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch said that the waiting period exists "to give a losing party time to prepare a petition for rehearing," but that there has been no intent that the other party will ask for another hearing. 

Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson issued a dissent, where she said the decision has "spawned chaos in the State of Louisiana." Justice Brown argued that because votes had already been cast, the election needed to go forward with the maps that it started with. 

Early voting began Saturday amid uncertainty surrounding the race. The U.S. House primary races will still appear on ballots for the election, but votes for that race only will not be counted. 

Election Day is May 16.