Alabama seeks US Supreme Court approval of congressional map for midterm elections

US Supreme Court Petitioned on Alabama Congressional Map

A group of Republicans in Alabama has submitted a petition to the US Supreme Court to approve a congressional election map previously rejected for racial discrimination. The state’s Republican leadership is seeking a ruling by Monday, which would allow the map to be used for the 2026 midterm elections.

In 2023, a three-judge panel found that the state’s Republican leadership had intentionally diminished the political strength of Black voters, who tend to lean Democratic. The panel ruled that Alabama should have two Black-majority districts: one in Birmingham and another in Montgomery. However, the Republican leaders argue that this ruling is no longer valid due to a recent Supreme Court decision.

The petitioners claim that urgent action is necessary to prevent “irreparable harm” to their partisan redistricting push. They assert that voters will be forced to vote under a court-drawn map that does not meet Alabama’s legitimate districting goals.

Governor Kay Ivey has already indicated that new primaries will be held in four of the state’s seven congressional districts if the rejected map is restored. The winners of these primaries would then proceed to compete in November’s midterm elections.

A lower court recently rejected the 2023 map, stating that it was a “blatant attempt” to reinstate a race-based congressional map that denied Black voters a voice in Congress. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a statement on Tuesday, criticizing Alabama’s efforts to reapply the map.

The petition to the Supreme Court is part of a broader effort by Republicans to redraw congressional maps across the country. This process has been subject to controversy and court challenges in recent years, with some arguing that it can be used to gerrymander electoral districts for partisan gain.

Source: Al Jazeera