Federal Judges Block Alabama’s Contested Congressional Map

Federal judges stopped Alabama’s plan to use a congressional map that might benefit Republicans in an important U.S. House race during the midterm elections. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel issued a preliminary injunction in Alabama’s ongoing redistricting case. The panel concluded the Republican-endorsed plan intentionally discriminated based on race by having only one Black-majority district. The judges ordered Alabama to maintain a court-ordered map for the 2024 elections, which includes two districts where Black residents are the majority or nearly so.

The judges stated, “Ultimately, we cannot see our way clear to requiring Alabamians to cast their votes in the 2026 elections under a districting plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination.” This decision marks a setback for Republicans, who sought to use a map in the November midterms that could help reclaim the seat now held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures. The state may appeal this ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. Figures expressed satisfaction with the ruling but anticipates an appeal. “This is a significant step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go before this fight is settled,” he said.

This court order is the latest event in the complex legal and political saga following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. That ruling struck down a Black-majority district in Louisiana, weakening the federal Voting Rights Act. It led Republicans in several Southern states, including Alabama, to attempt reshaping voting districts with large minority populations that have elected Democrats.

Redistricting Efforts and Political Maneuvering

The redistricting efforts are part of a broader move by President Donald Trump to maintain the Republicans’ thin House majority in the November elections. The judicial panel in 2023 determined that a map created by Republican state legislators intentionally weakened the voting power of Black citizens. The state, where Black citizens make up about 27% of the population, should have two districts where Black voters form the majority or are close to it. The map chosen by the court was used in 2024.

After the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Louisiana case, Alabama officials sought to implement the 2023 state-drawn map. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority allowed the use of this map temporarily and sent the case back to the three-judge panel for a new assessment considering the Louisiana ruling. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey planned special primaries on August 11 using the new map.

Upon further examination, the panel acknowledged “undisputed evidence” of intentional racial discrimination. They stated the special congressional primaries should occur under the previously court-approved districts. The decision to temporarily prevent the map switch came after a seven-hour court hearing where judges critically questioned state lawyers about the timeline and implications of the Louisiana ruling.

The ruling to maintain existing districts for previous elections avoids an expensive and challenging voter reassignment process. The judges remarked that although candidate and voter confusion can be problematic, the preliminary injunction is expected to ease rather than exacerbate it. Deuel Ross, director of litigation for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, indicated the court ruling upheld the constitutional rights of voters in the Black Belt, and their clients eagerly anticipate voting under a fair map this fall.

Nationwide Impact on Primaries

Several states have considered adjustments to their primary elections for congressional redistricting following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision affecting the Voting Rights Act. In Louisiana, Republican Governor Jeff Landry postponed the congressional primaries planned for May 16 to later in the summer. This delay allows state lawmakers to propose a new U.S. House map that eliminates a majority-Black district.

In South Carolina, the Republican-led legislature is contemplating a plan to discard the votes from its June 9 congressional primary. A new primary could occur in August with revised districts that might enhance Republicans’ chances of securing an additional seat. Tennessee rapidly implemented new U.S. House districts following the Supreme Court’s ruling, dismantling a Black-majority district based in Memphis, which had elected the state’s sole Democratic representative. The new map gives Republicans a shot at controlling all nine of Tennessee’s seats. As part of the plan, Tennessee temporarily reopened the candidate qualifying period for its August congressional primaries, allowing new candidates to enter the race and existing ones to switch districts or withdraw.

Since Trump’s urging last summer for Texas to redraw its U.S. House districts, about a half-dozen Republican-led states have executed new voting districts, although some continue to face legal challenges. Meanwhile, Democrats responded with new districts in California and expect to gain a seat from court-imposed districts in Utah.