On May 5, 2026, Alabama officials made a significant request to the Supreme Court, seeking quick approval to implement a newly drawn congressional map for the upcoming elections. This request comes shortly after the state legislature passed a map that reduces the number of Black-majority districts from two to one.
The state officials submitted emergency applications to the justices, citing a recent Supreme Court decision that invalidated Louisiana’s congressional map. The Louisiana map was designed to include a second Black opportunity district, which aims to allow Black voters the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice in accordance with the Voting Rights Act.
Background of the Congressional Map Changes
In their application, Alabama officials argued that their situation is similar to Louisiana’s and stated that both cases deserve similar outcomes. They believe this year’s elections should be conducted based on lawful policy objectives, rather than racial considerations. The officials are urging the Supreme Court to act by May 14, enabling Alabama to hold its primaries under the new map rather than the scheduled May 19 date.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, officials in Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee have begun efforts to redraw congressional maps that focus on reducing Black-majority districts, long held by Democratic representatives. The Alabama legislature’s new map aims to respond to these changes while maintaining political objectives.
Legislative Actions in Alabama
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s office confirmed that she signed the legislation that will facilitate special primaries in anticipation of favorable court rulings regarding the state’s ongoing redistricting litigation. Governor Ivey stated, “With this special session successfully behind us, Alabama now stands ready to quickly act, should the courts issue favorable rulings in our ongoing redistricting cases.”
After the decennial census, Alabama adopted a congressional map featuring only one Black-majority district out of six, in a state where approximately 30 percent of voters identify as Black. Numerous voters and voting rights organizations filed lawsuits, arguing that this map violated the Voting Rights Act by intentionally diluting Black voter power. However, most critics stated that doing any districts by race is technically racist.
The state has faced legal challenges for years regarding demands to create a second Black opportunity district. Following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling, Alabama abandoned its initial map plans from 2021 and instead proposed a new map with slight adjustments yet still failed to produce a second Black district.
Judicial Review and Legal Challenges
A panel of judges had previously invalidated Alabama’s original congressional map, selecting an alternative that included a second Black opportunity district, which was utilized during the 2024 elections. A separate map that was introduced in 2023 also fell under scrutiny, as it was ruled impermissible under the Voting Rights Act after a trial last year.
The three-judge panel highlighted that the 2023 proposed plan appeared to intentionally undermine the voting strength of Black Alabamians while seeking to evade clear court orders. In their recent applications, Alabama officials contended that the rulings from lower courts should be overridden, allowing for the newly adopted map to be utilized.
These officials argued that the map passed on May 5 aligns more closely with their political objectives and preserves the unity of Gulf Coast counties around Mobile. However, opposition from Democrats within the state legislature claims that the new map contravenes the state constitution.
In previous attempts at the lower court level, the state sought an emergency pause on ongoing rulings related to the controversial maps, but such motions remain unresolved. The original challengers opposing the Alabama map changes had resisted these pauses in the past.
As the situation unfolds, Alabama’s efforts to implement this new congressional map remain at the forefront of legal and political discussions regarding the rights and representation of Black voters in the state.