Alabama's Republican leadership has petitioned the Supreme Court to implement a congressional map that a lower court ruled intentionally discriminates against Black people, aiming to secure a Republican majority in this year's elections. The state's Republican leadership filed an emergency appeal with the justices a day after a three-judge court refused to let the state use a map it adopted 3 years ago. That map has a majority Black population in just one of its seven congressional districts.
Instead, the judges required Alabama to continue using a court-ordered map that was put in place for the 2 years ago elections. This court-ordered map includes two districts where Black residents comprise a majority or close to it. Attorney General Steve Marshall told the court that the state did not intentionally discriminate against Black residents and should be allowed to hold elections this year under a map chosen by lawmakers, not judges.
The State's Role in Power Consolidation
The appeal is the latest development in the fallout from 1 month ago's Supreme Court ruling that struck down a Black-majority district in Louisiana and weakened the federal Voting Rights Act. That ruling has led Republicans in several Southern states, including Alabama, to take steps to reshape voting districts with large minority populations that have elected Democrats. This redistricting frenzy is part of a broader push by President Donald Trump to try to hold on to Republicans’ slim House majority in the November elections.
Trump’s Justice Department backed Alabama’s appeal, noting that Alabama is “highly likely to succeed” in its bid to implement a map the administration says would favor Republicans 6-1 in place of a court-ordered “racial gerrymander.” The Alabama case stretches back several years, revealing the persistent efforts by state apparatuses to consolidate power for a ruling-class faction.
Diluting the Vote, Protecting Power
The three-judge panel in 2023 ruled that a map drawn by Republican state lawmakers intentionally diluted the voting power of Black citizens. The court said the state, which is about 27% Black, should have two districts where Black voters are the majority or close to it. The court-selected map was used in 2024, demonstrating a temporary victory against the systematic disenfranchisement of Black voters.
After the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in the Louisiana case, Alabama officials moved to implement the 2023 state-drawn map. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority agreed to lift the injunction that had blocked the map’s use and sent the case back to the three-judge panel for reconsideration in light of the Louisiana ruling. In the meantime, voters cast ballots in Alabama’s May 19 primaries, and Republican Gov. Kay Ivey set new special primaries for Aug. 11 in four congressional districts affected by the map switch.
Upon further review, the judicial panel said it was standing behind its initial finding that there was “undisputed evidence” of intentional racial discrimination, a holding that was independent of and unaffected by the Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act. It said the special congressional primaries should instead proceed under the previous court-approved districts. The use of the court-ordered map led to the 2024 election of U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, a Black Democrat, highlighting the direct impact of fair representation on political outcomes. State Republicans are seeking to use a map that would give the GOP an opportunity to reclaim the south Alabama seat, demonstrating a clear effort to reverse gains made by organized voting power. The state is asking for Supreme Court action by Monday as it makes preparations for the special vote in August.