Alabama Congressional Map Found to be Racially Gerrymandered, Orders Issued for Redrawing
A federal court panel in Alabama has invalidated the state’s congressional map, ruling that it was racially gerrymandered and unfairly disadvantaged Black voters. The judges found that it would be practically impossible for the state legislature to fix the map before the 2024 election cycle. As a result, they have ordered the appointment of a special master and a cartographer to redraw the map.
The panel of judges, in an extensive 217-page opinion, expressed significant concerns about the state’s repeated defiance of previous court rulings to rectify key aspects of the congressional map. This situation was deemed unprecedented by the court.
The ruling represents another blow to the Republican-led state legislature, whose previous congressional district map was struck down by the Supreme Court in June. The conservative-leaning high court, in an unexpected 5-4 decision, upheld a lower court ruling that declared the map to be in violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
The lower court had called for the inclusion of either an additional majority-Black congressional district or a district that would offer Black voters the opportunity to elect a representative of their choice. Despite the Supreme Court granting Alabama a five-week delay to craft a new plan, the state’s legislature passed a map in July that once again only featured a single majority-Black district.
With seven congressional districts in Alabama and almost 27% of the population being Black according to the 2020 census, the judges were critical of the state’s failure to fulfill the court’s previous orders. They argued that the most recent plan was likely to once again violate the voting rights law.
Furthermore, the judges noted that there was little reason to believe that allowing the legislature another opportunity to draw a map would result in the creation of an additional opportunity district. They also highlighted that the state itself conceded that reconvening the legislature and doing so before the 2024 election cycle would be practically impossible.
As a result, the court has directed a special master and a cartographer to immediately begin work on a new map.
The judges expressed their concern over the evidence that the state sought a delay without taking steps to revise the congressional map as instructed by the courts.
While the court acknowledged the intrusion of federal intervention into a process that is typically reserved for the state legislature, they emphasized that this voting rights act case was not a close call. They also expressed deep concern regarding the state’s decision to enact a map that admitted to not providing the remedy required by federal law.
This latest ruling highlights ongoing efforts to ensure fair representation in Alabama’s congressional districts and underscores the significance of addressing racial gerrymandering concerns within the framework of the voting rights act. With the appointment of a special master and a cartographer, efforts are underway to redraw the map and provide an opportunity for Black voters to elect candidates of their choice in future elections.
