Supreme Court Allows Alabama to Use New Congressional Redistricting Map

<p>The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 emergency order on June 2, 2026, permitting Alabama to implement a congressional redistricting map that eliminates one of its two majority-minority districts. This decision allows the state to proceed with elections under a map adopted by the Republican-controlled legislature in 2023, reversing a lower court ruling that had blocked its use.</p><p>The ruling impacts the upcoming 2026 midterm elections and places the seat of Democratic Representative Shomari Figures at risk. The majority opinion criticized the lower court for intervening close to the election and suggested that Alabama is likely to prevail in ongoing litigation regarding the map.</p><p>Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented, arguing that the map discriminates against black voters and creates election-year chaos. The dispute originates from Alabama's post-2020 Census congressional map, which had only one majority-black district despite black residents constituting about 25% of the state's population.</p><p>In 2023, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court's finding that the original map likely violated the Voting Rights Act, necessitating the creation of an additional district for black voters. Following a recent ruling involving Louisiana, Alabama Republicans sought to revive the legislature's preferred map, leading to the current litigation.</p><p>The ruling may have broader implications, as both parties are increasingly engaging in mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterms. This decision could enable Republicans to regain a seat currently held by Democrats and may inspire similar efforts in other Southern states.</p><p>Alabama's congressional primaries are scheduled for August 11.</p>