Federal court strikes down Alabama's version of congressional map
Source: Roll Call
Posted May 8, 2025 at 5:37pm
A federal court ruling in Alabama could mean another new congressional map for the state, as a panel of federal judges found the version the state drew in 2023 violated the Voting Rights Act because it diluted the political voice of Black voters. The more than 500-page ruling from a unanimous three-judge panel said it was “not a close call” to require the state to have a map with more representation for Black voters than the 2023 plan.
The state is currently using a court-mandated map drawn after a preliminary ruling against the state’s 2023 version, and Thursday’s decision opened the door for the state to have yet another map going forward — its third since the 2020 census. Thursday’s ruling followed a trial earlier this year, when the state sought to reinstate the 2023 map despite the initial court ruling finding it likely violated the VRA.
The court found that the 2023 map did not comply with the VRA and the state legislature ignored the court’s initial order to provide an additional Black opportunity district. “[T]ry as we might, we cannot understand the 2023 Plan as anything other than an intentional effort to dilute Black Alabamians’ voting strength and evade the unambiguous requirements of court orders standing in the way,” the judges wrote. A portion of the ruling noted that “Remedial proceedings lie ahead,” over what exact maps the state will use until the 2030 census.
The ACLU and Legal Defense Fund, two of the groups who represented the plaintiffs in the case, praised the ruling in a statement. The court-ordered map used in the 2024 elections resulted in Alabama electing two Black representatives to Congress for the first time in history, the groups said. “Today’s decision is a testament to the persistence and resilience of Black voters in Alabama, including our clients,” Deuel Ross, deputy director of litigation at the Legal Defense Fund, said in a statement.
Read more: https://rollcall.com/2025/05/08/federal-court-strikes-down-alabamas-version-of-congressional-map/
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Make Wallace spin in his grave!! 