A federal three-judge panel has once again blocked Alabama from using its 2023 congressional map, ordering the state to use a race-blind court-drawn plan for its 2026 elections. The court ordered Secretary of State Wes Allen to administer Alabama’s remaining 2026 congressional elections, including the August special primaries, using the map previously imposed by the court, which created a second district where Black voters have an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.
The ruling came after the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the court’s earlier permanent injunction and ordered the panel to reconsider in light of Louisiana v. Callais. The three-judge panel concluded that Alabama still loses under the new standard, both on constitutional and statutory grounds. The judges found no evidence that the legislature acted for partisan reasons and rejected the state’s attempt to use Callais as a shield.
Under the blocked 2023 map, Republicans were slated to gain one electoral seat by erasing a majority-Black seat held by Democrats in the southeastern part of the state. The ruling sets the stage for yet another emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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