Alabama GOP Congressional Map Ruling Reverberates as Federal Judges Side with Civil Rights Groups
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal three-judge panel today issued a decisive ruling on the congressional redistricting map drawn by Alabama’s Republican-controlled legislature, siding with civil rights groups who contended the plan unlawfully dilutes the voting power of Black residents. The court found the map, which created a single majority-Black district out of seven, likely violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The judges ordered state lawmakers to redraw the map to include a second district where Black voters have an opportunity to elect their preferred candidate. The decision, which is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, represents a major legal and political development ahead of the 2024 elections, as Alabama’s population is approximately 27 percent Black.