Federal judges again block Alabama redistricting plan

A three-judge panel on Tuesday ruled that Republicans’ redrawn Alabama congressional map could not be used for upcoming special elections in August. The map, which dates back to 2023 and has been previously blocked in court, has only one Democrat-leaning district, according to court documents. The judges ruled that the map would unconstitutionally dilute the black vote and that there was no need to change congressional districts in the middle of an election year. Instead, they ordered the state to use a court-drawn remedial plan with two majority-black districts.

The decision came roughly two weeks after the Supreme Court ordered the lower court to reevaluate an earlier decision blocking the map. Justices said the lower court should look at the issue again in light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Louisiana’s congressional map, which narrowed interpretations of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

How did Alabama Republicans respond to the ruling? Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall said he would immediately appeal the ruling back to the Supreme Court. He didn’t see anything in the high court’s prior ruling that provided a basis for blocking the map, he said. Marshall said he was sure his side would win and promised to keep Alabama voters updated on the case.

Dig deeper: Read Liz Lykins’ report on the Supreme Court’s decision to have the lower court reevaluate the map.