The Supreme Court ruled on June 2, 2026, allowing Alabama to use a congressional map that eliminates one of its two majority-Black districts. The decision was made with a 6-3 vote, with the conservative justices in the majority. This ruling followed an emergency request from Republican officials to use the map, which was enacted in 2023 but had not been previously utilized.
The court's order indicated that Alabama is likely to prevail in its argument that the map was drawn lawfully. In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor criticized the decision, stating it undermines democratic values and the rule of law. The map's redrawing is expected to disadvantage Democratic Representative Shomari Figures.
A lower court had previously determined that the map discriminated against Black voters, violating the 14th Amendment and the Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court had previously upheld a ruling against Alabama's 2021 map, which also violated the Voting Rights Act. However, the court requested a reevaluation of the case in light of a recent ruling from Louisiana that weakened protections under the Voting Rights Act.
On May 26, a three-judge panel reaffirmed that the map was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court's majority criticized the lower court for not adequately considering the Louisiana ruling and for issuing its decision close to the upcoming elections. The ruling has raised concerns about the timing of the Supreme Court's decisions in relation to election schedules.
Alabama's primary elections, originally scheduled for May 19, were postponed to August 11 to accommodate the changes following the Supreme Court's ruling. The recent redistricting efforts have been part of a broader trend among Southern states to redraw electoral maps, particularly in response to pressures from Republican leadership.
