Alabama redistricting battle: Why justices reject Republican-backed congressional map ahead of midterm elections | Today’s news
Federal judges have blocked Alabama from using a Republican-backed congressional map that could reshape a key U.S. House race ahead of the midterm elections, slowing GOP efforts to protect their narrow House majority.
The decision is the latest chapter in a broader national battle over congressional redistricting, voting rights and political control of the House of Representatives.
What did the court decide?
A three-judge federal panel issued a preliminary injunction preventing Alabama from moving to the new Republican-backed congressional map.
The justices ruled that the proposed map “intentionally discriminates on the basis of race” because it includes only one black majority in a state where blacks make up roughly 27% of the population.
Instead, the court ordered Alabama to continue using the court-approved map already in use during the 2024 election. That map includes two precincts where black voters are either a majority or close to one.
“Ultimately, we see no clear way to require Alabamians to cast their ballots in the 2026 election under a districting plan marked by intentional racial discrimination,” the justices wrote.
Why is the Alabama map controversial?
The fight centers on whether Alabama’s congressional districts fairly represent black voters.
Voting rights groups and Democratic challengers argued that Republican lawmakers diluted black voting power by drawing only one majority-black district, despite the state’s large black population.
In 2023, the same federal panel ruled that Alabama’s Republican map unlawfully weakened the political influence of black residents.
The court concluded that the state should contain two districts where black voters have a real opportunity to vote for the candidates of their choice.
That earlier decision resulted in the court-approved map now being preserved for the upcoming election.
Why Republicans wanted a new map
Republicans hoped to use the new district map to improve their chances of regaining the congressional seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures.
The proposed changes were seen as part of a broader Republican effort to strengthen the party’s narrow majority in the US House of Representatives ahead of the November elections.
The broader push for redistricting intensified after President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw congressional districts where possible.
Alabama plans to appeal to the Supreme Court
Steve Marshall, Alabama’s attorney general, said the state would immediately appeal the decision to the United States Supreme Court.
Marshall criticized the decision and defended the map.
“Know this — in my opinion, it’s not a question of if we’re going to win this case, it’s only a question of when,” he said.
The state argued that the justices lacked justification to block what officials described as Congress’s statutory plan.
Judges warn of voter confusion
The court also said that switching maps shortly before an election could cause logistical chaos and voter confusion.
The justices pointed to the difficulty of redistributing voters into new districts after primaries have already begun under existing boundaries.
Using current districts would avoid what the panel described as a “costly, aggressive and possibly logistically impossible effort to redistrict voters.”
The judges added: “The confusion between candidates and voters is problematic and requires close attention.”
Redistricting battles are spreading
Alabama is not alone.
Several Republican controlled states have moved aggressively to redraw congressional boundaries following the Supreme Court’s voting rights ruling.
Louisiana postponed its congressional primary so lawmakers could consider a new map that could eliminate a majority-black district.
Lawmakers in South Carolina are considering redistricting that could improve Republicans’ chances for another House seat.
Tennessee approved new districts that broke away from a black district in Memphis, potentially helping Republicans sweep all nine congressional seats in the state.
Since Trump urged Texas Republicans to redraw House maps last year, several GOP-led states have adopted new districts, though many remain tied up in lawsuits.
Democrats have also pushed for new maps in states like California and hope to gain more representation through court-ordered changes in Utah.
Why the decision is nationally important
The Alabama decision underscores how congressional redistricting has become one of the most important political and legal battles ahead of the midterms.
Control of even a few congressional districts could determine which party controls the House of Representatives after the election.
Read also | Former Trump ally furious after Massie loss: ‘Future of GOP destroyed’
