Alabama has appealed a federal court ruling that nullified its 2023 congressional map, marking the state’s third trip to the U.S. Supreme Court in an ongoing legal battle over redistricting.
The appeal, filed on June 6, names Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, State Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston (R-District 8), and State Rep. Chris Pringle (R-District 101) as defendants. It follows a May 8 decision by a three-judge federal panel that permanently barred Alabama from using its 2023 map, finding that it diluted the voting power of Black residents and failed to comply with earlier court orders.
The court-ordered map currently in use was implemented after the state legislature did not follow a previous directive in 2023. That map resulted in the election of Congressman Shomari Figures in the 2nd Congressional District, making him the second Black member of Alabama’s congressional delegation. Prior to that, Republicans held six of the state’s seven congressional seats.
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The current appeal is not only about the map itself but also concerns whether the federal court should maintain oversight of congressional redistricting in Alabama after the 2030 Census. Plaintiffs in the case, represented by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, have asked the court to require future map changes to be reviewed in advance to prevent discriminatory practices. Alabama, however, is challenging the need for continued court supervision, according to reporting from the Alabama Reflector.
The court has set deadlines for the legal briefs: Alabama must file by June 16, with a response from the plaintiffs due June 23. A reply, if needed, must be submitted by June 27. If the panel determines a hearing is necessary, it will be scheduled for July 29.
Federal judges previously criticized the state’s redistricting process during a 2023 special session, prompting the court to appoint a special master to draw the map used in the 2024 election and slated to remain in place through the 2030 cycle.
The appeal follows two earlier defeats for the state at the Supreme Court, after rulings from lower courts found that Alabama’s earlier maps violated the Voting Rights Act.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
