Alabama Court Says Redrawn Electoral Map Suppresses Black Voters

A US federal court has invalidated Alabama's recently revised electoral map, asserting that it persists in denying equitable political representation to Black Americans, thereby violating a US Supreme Court ruling. A three-judge panel declared that the Alabama legislature's redrawn map unlawfully diminishes the voting power of African American citizens, effectively undermining their capacity to elect Black representatives to Congress. This ruling is the latest chapter in an ongoing legal battle unfolding across several states, centered on the contentious issue of gerrymandering— the manipulation of electoral districts to dilute the voting influence of minority communities. While one of Alabama's seven congressional districts currently holds a majority of African American residents, a federal court directive from 2022 had compelled the state to establish a second majority Black district, aligning more closely with the state's 26 percent Black population. The court's reasoning underscored Alabama's historical pattern of manipulating electoral boundaries to ensure white Alabamians' political predominance, given that they constitute about 66 percent of the state's population. In June, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court's mandate to redraw the electoral map, citing violations of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. However, the newly approved map in July still left African Americans as the majority in just one district. In a second district, the Black population accounted for 39 percent, falling short of the court's prescribed threshold. The judges expressed their deep concern, stating that they were "disturbed" by the legislature's procrastination in redistricting and its lack of commitment to finding a viable solution. Consequently, the court has now ordered the appointment of an external "special master" to oversee the redrawing of the electoral map, ensuring compliance with the court's stipulations. The panel emphasized, "The law requires the creation of an additional district that affords Black Alabamians, like everyone else, a fair and reasonable opportunity to elect candidates of their choice." This legal battle, alongside similar challenges in other states, carries the potential to impact the balance of power in Congress during next year's elections. Currently, out of Alabama's seven representatives, six are white Republicans, while the seventh is a Black Democrat. Both of the state's senators also belong to the Republican party.