A federal court has ruled that Alabama can proceed with a congressional district map that lower courts had earlier blocked for failing to comply with federal voting rights protections. The decision removes an injunction that had prevented the state from using its preferred map drawn after the 2020 census and instead commanded the state to draw two majority-black districts.
The case stems from long-running disputes over how states draw U.S. House districts after each census. Under the Voting Rights Act, courts have sometimes required states to create additional districts where minority voters, such as black voters in Alabama.
A lower court had previously determined that Alabama’s original post-2020 map did not meet this standard and blocked it as racially discriminatory in effect, because it diluted the influence of black voters across the state’s seven congressional districts. The new court action clears the path for the state to use that map without those restrictions.
Monday’s ruling directly follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 29, decision in Louisiana v. Callais. In that 6-3 decision, the justices held that the Voting Rights Act did not require Louisiana to draw a second majority-black congressional district.
The high court concluded that the Louisiana map at issue amounted to an unconstitutional racial gerrymander because race had been the predominant factor in its design. That ruling made it harder to prove that a map unlawfully weakens minority voting strength, shifting more authority back to state legislatures to draw lines without court-mandated adjustments for race.
Alabama lawmakers moved quickly in response to the Callais decision. On May 1, Republican Governor Kay Ivey called a special legislative session focused on redistricting and election scheduling. The Alabama Legislature convened on May 4 and, within days, approved legislation that sets up contingency plans for new U.S. House primaries.
The measure, which was signed into law by the governor, allows the state to ignore results from the May 19 primary in affected districts and hold fresh primaries under the reinstated map if courts continue to permit its use.
Alabama’s current court-ordered map, which includes two districts with substantial Black voting-age populations, has been in effect since earlier litigation. Those districts are currently represented by black Democrats, at least one of whom is projected to lose their seat once the new map is adopted.
For the 2026 midterm elections, Alabama must finalize and implement any new maps in time for the general election.
The special-session legislation provides a mechanism to reschedule primaries and conduct special elections if needed, ensuring candidates can run under the approved boundaries. State officials have indicated they aim to have the process completed well before the fall campaign season.
