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Alabama asks Supreme Court to clear way for Republicans’ redrawn voting map

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by Zach Schonfeld - 05/08/26 5:51 PM ET

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by Zach Schonfeld - 05/08/26 5:51 PM ET

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Alabama urged the Supreme Court on Friday for an emergency order clearing the way for its redrawn congressional map that could boost Republicans’ chances of holding on to the House in November.

The ask landed just as Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed the map, which lawmakers passed in response to the high court’s recent decision in Louisiana that weakened the Voting Rights Act.

Alabama says that should enable the state to axe the boundaries that judges forcibly implemented to boost Black voting power under the 1965 law. The court-mandated design led to the election of Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures.

“After enacting a racial gerrymander, Louisiana is now free to hold elections under a lawful map consistent with its policy goals. Alabama seeks the same opportunity,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s (R) office wrote to the justices, asking for a ruling by Thursday.

It adds to a whirlwind redistricting moment as states race to redraw their maps ahead of the fast-approaching midterm contests. Earlier on Friday, Virginia’s top court struck down state Democrats’ new map for not following the proper procedures.

Ivey called on Alabama Republicans to pass the redistricting legislation following last week’s blockbuster 6-3 Supreme Court decision, which weakened plaintiffs’ ability to force new majority-minority districts under the Voting Rights Act in a case involving Louisiana’s congressional map.

The Supreme Court has effectively paved the way for Louisiana to redraw in time for November’s contests, but a court injunction prevents Alabama from immediately doing the same.

And adding to the dynamic, it was the Supreme Court itself that paved the way for judges to redraw Alabama’s congressional lines. The justices in 2023 ruled the previous map that included only one majority-Black district violated the Voting Rights Act.

The state is now attempting to revert to the design it had enacted afterward to try to comply. It didn’t outright create a second majority-Black district, leading the panel of judges to ultimately take over. That’s the design currently in effect.

Friday’s legislation would enable the Republicans’ map to take effect upon the Supreme Court or a lower federal judge clearing the way.

But later in the day, the lower court overseeing Alabama’s redistricting declined to do so. It ruled only the justices have the power to intervene at this point.

“Quite simply, we do not have the authority to issue an order that upends Alabama’s status quo, especially in the middle of an election, while our injunction establishing that status quo is well under review in the nation’s highest court,” the decision reads.

The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP and other groups that forced the injunction want to stop the redrawing ahead of the midterms, saying it would cause confusion since overseas ballots were already sent for the May 19 primary. Justice Clarence Thomas, who by default receives emergency matters arising from Alabama, has ordered them to lay out their arguments in writing by Monday.

Alabama says it’s willing to hold a special primary election closer to November, if necessary.

“Plaintiffs would have Alabama hold elections under a map that was erroneously ordered at best and unconstitutional at worst. Nothing requires that result. Americans, no less in Alabama, deserve a republic free of racial sorting now, and state officials deserve an opportunity to give it to them,” Marshall replied in its emergency filing.

Updated at 7:03 p.m. EDT

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