Federal Court Blocks Alabama Plan for New Congressional Districts That Could Help Republicans A federal court temporarily blocked Alabama’s plan to implement a new congressional map that could give Republicans an advantage in the upcoming midterm elections, according to a ruling issued by a three-judge panel in the state’s long-standing redistricting case. The preliminary injunction, issued on Tuesday, prevents the state from switching to the proposed map for the November midterms, requiring it to continue using the court-ordered districts under which congressional representatives were elected in 2024. The decision marks a significant setback for state Republicans, who had sought to reshape voting districts to reclaim a key House seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures. The ruling was sought by lawyers representing Black voters, who argued that the state’s previous map had been found discriminatory in 2023 and that attempting to alter district boundaries mid-election cycle would create unnecessary chaos. The judges agreed, emphasizing that Alabama’s efforts to redraw lines during an election year could undermine the integrity of the voting process. The state is now allowed to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, though the timeline for such an appeal remains unclear. The court’s intervention comes amid a broader legal and political battle over redistricting, fueled by a Supreme Court ruling in April 2025 that struck down a majority-Black district in Louisiana and weakened the federal Voting Rights Act. This decision has emboldened Republicans in several Southern states, including Alabama, to pursue changes to voting districts with significant minority populations, which have historically elected Democratic representatives.#federal_court #alabama #u_s_supreme_court #shomari_figures #jeff_landry
Alabama Moves Toward New Congressional Map Amid Legal Uncertainty Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation on Friday that would enable new primary elections if the state’s Republican-led legislature successfully changes its congressional and state Senate maps ahead of the November midterms. The move comes as the state awaits a federal court ruling on whether Republicans can replace a court-ordered map that includes two majority-minority districts with a revised plan approved in 2023. The legislation grants Ivey the authority to schedule special primary elections for affected districts if redrawn maps are implemented, ensuring the state’s electoral process aligns with potential changes. The current congressional map, which was mandated by a federal court in 2023, designates two districts with significant Black populations. These districts, the 2nd and 7th Congressional Districts, are represented by Democratic lawmakers, Reps. Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures. The 2023 court order required Alabama to create one majority-Black seat in the 7th District and a “Black opportunity” seat in the 2nd District, where Black residents constitute a plurality. However, Alabama Republicans have sought to replace this map with a version that includes only one majority-Black district, arguing that the existing plan unfairly advantages Democrats. The push to alter the map is part of a broader trend among southern states leveraging a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Louisiana’s redistricting plan. The court’s decision in Allen v. Milligan limited the use of race in drawing district lines, prompting Republicans in Alabama and other states to challenge existing maps. In Louisiana, Republicans delayed their May 16 House primaries to redraw district lines after their map was struck down.#federal_court #shomari_figures #alabama_governor_kay_ivey #republican_legislature_alabama #terri_sewell
Alabama Seeks Supreme Court Approval to Revert to One Black-Majority Congressional District Alabama has filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting permission to use a congressional map that includes only one majority-Black district. The state’s move comes amid heightened tensions over voting rights and redistricting, with the high court facing a pivotal question about the role of partisanship in shaping electoral boundaries. The appeal, which seeks a decision by May 14, follows a lower court ruling that blocked Alabama from implementing its 2023-drawn map. The case is closely tied to the Supreme Court’s recent decision on Louisiana’s congressional map, which significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Alabama’s appeal argues that its situation mirrors Louisiana’s, urging the justices to allow the state to proceed with its current map based on “lawful policy goals” rather than racial considerations. State officials, including Governor Kay Ivey, have emphasized that the map aligns with their legislative priorities and does not discriminate based on race. The appeal’s timing is critical, as Alabama’s legislature has already passed legislation enabling new House primaries if courts approve the use of the 2023 map. This could reshape the state’s electoral landscape for this year’s midterms, potentially giving Republicans an advantage in a district currently represented by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures, a Black voter. The state’s previous map, which included two Black-majority districts, was reviewed by the Supreme Court in 2023 and required revision. Alabama’s new map, however, maintains only one such district.#alabama #u_s_supreme_court #kay_ivey #samuel_alito #shomari_figures
