Alabama has formally requested the U.S. Supreme Court to permit the use of a congressional map that favors Republican candidates in the upcoming elections, despite a lower court's determination that the plan discriminates against Black voters. The appeal, filed on Wednesday, follows a ruling from a three-judge panel that rejected the state's proposed map, which includes only one district with a majority Black population among its seven congressional districts.
The judges mandated that Alabama continue using a court-ordered map for the 2024 elections, which features two districts where Black residents make up a majority or are close to it. Attorney General Steve Marshall argued that the state did not engage in intentional discrimination and should be allowed to conduct elections under a map selected by lawmakers rather than judges.
This appeal emerges in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a Black-majority district in Louisiana and weakened protections under the federal Voting Rights Act. The decision has prompted Republican leaders in several Southern states, including Alabama, to reevaluate voting districts that have historically supported Democratic candidates.
The push for redistricting aligns with efforts by former President Donald Trump to maintain a slim Republican majority in the House during the November elections. The Justice Department under Trump has supported Alabama's appeal, asserting that the state is “highly likely to succeed” in implementing a map that would likely favor Republicans 6-1, as opposed to the current court-ordered “racial gerrymander.”
The controversy surrounding Alabama's congressional map dates back several years. In 2023, the three-judge panel concluded that the map drawn by Republican lawmakers intentionally diluted the voting power of Black citizens, who represent approximately 27% of the state's population. The court ruled that Alabama should have two districts where Black voters are the majority or nearly so, leading to the adoption of the court-selected map for the 2024 elections.
Following the Supreme Court’s recent decision regarding Louisiana, Alabama officials sought to reinstate the 2023 state-drawn map. The Supreme Court's conservative majority lifted the injunction that had previously blocked the map's use and directed the case back to the three-judge panel for further consideration in light of the Louisiana ruling.
As Alabama prepares for its May 19 primaries, Republican Governor Kay Ivey has scheduled new special primaries for August 11 in four congressional districts impacted by the potential map change. However, the judicial panel reaffirmed its earlier finding of “undisputed evidence” of intentional racial discrimination, a conclusion that remains unaffected by the Supreme Court's ruling on the Voting Rights Act.
The panel insisted that the special congressional primaries should proceed under the previously approved court map. This map has already facilitated the election of U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, a Black Democrat. State Republicans are now eager to utilize a map that could enable them to reclaim a congressional seat in southern Alabama.
Alabama is seeking a decision from the Supreme Court by Monday to facilitate its preparations for the upcoming special elections in August.
