Alabama officials have filed emergency petitions with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the justices to allow the state to implement a redrawn congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections. The petitions, submitted by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, seek to lift a lower court injunction that found the state’s 2023 map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The 2023 map included one black-majority district, resulting in a 6-1 Republican-Democrat split, but a federal court ordered the creation of a second black-majority district, shifting the delegation to a 5-2 split.
The state argues that the lower courts erred in mandating a second black-majority district, citing the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which struck down a similar court-ordered district in Louisiana. The petitions request a ruling by May 14, ahead of Alabama’s scheduled May 19 primary elections. The Supreme Court has asked for a response from the groups suing the state by Monday at 5 p.m.
Meanwhile, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation authorizing a new primary election if the courts allow the state to revert to its original map. The bill gives Ivey the authority to postpone or reschedule primaries in districts affected by potential map changes. Republican state leaders argue that the Supreme Court’s recent ruling justifies revisiting the district lines, which could shift Democratic representation in the state’s congressional delegation.
The legal battle centers on whether Alabama’s original map, which contained only one majority-black district despite black residents making up roughly 27% of the population, complies with the Voting Rights Act. A federal court ruled the map likely violated the act and ordered the creation of a second district where black voters could elect their preferred candidate. That court-drawn map led to Democratic gains in the 2024 elections, including the election of Rep. Shomari Figures (D-AL).
Opponents of the state’s efforts, including Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL), have criticized the move, arguing it undermines voting rights protections. Booker traveled to Alabama to rally against the state’s attempts to overturn the court-mandated map, while Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R) defended the state’s actions, stating that local residents, not national figures, should determine the state’s electoral maps.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Alabama’s petition will have significant implications for the state’s congressional representation and could set a precedent for other states facing similar redistricting challenges.