Alabama Legislature Ignores Supreme Court’s Order to Create Another Majority-Black Congressional District

A recent Supreme Court ruling determined that Alabama's congressional map likely violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by diluting Black votes

Alabama's Republican-controlled legislature has rejected calls — and, say critics, a Supreme Court ruling — to draw a second majority-Black congressional district, instead redistricting in a way that continues to favor their own party.

On Wednesday, the Alabama Legislature put forth two new congressional maps — one drawn by the state's House and one by the state Senate — and have until Friday to compromise on one in order to comply with a court order.

The new congressional map options were drawn in the wake of a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which in June unexpectedly ruled that Alabama's seven-district congressional map appears to discriminate against Black voters. While Black residents comprise some 27% of Alabama’s population, just one of the state’s seven districts is currently drawn to include a majority-Black population.

Related: Supreme Court, in Shock 5-4 Decision, Rules That Alabama Discriminated Against Black Voters

The 5-4 SCOTUS ruling saw two conservative judges — Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh — side with all three liberal judges in deciding that Alabama's congressional map, which favors Republicans and was already used in the 2022 election, likely violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by diluting Black votes in the state.

As a result of the Supreme Court's decision, Alabama was required to redraw its congressional districts for the 2024 election in order to give Black voters an equal voice. A court order stipulates that the new map must include “either an additional majority-Black congressional district, or an additional district in which Black voters otherwise have an opportunity to elect a representative of their choice.”

The new congressional map option passed by the state House includes a second district that is only 42% Black, and the map passed by the state Senate includes a second district that is only 38% Black.

The order to redistrict was a win for Democrats and could have an impact on the national level — the Democratic Party lost its majority in the U.S. House of Representatives by only a few seats in the 2022 midterms — which may be why Alabama Republicans are so far not compromising on creating a district that accurately reflects the makeup of the state.

Speaking on the state House floor this week, Alabama state Rep. Juandalynn Givan — a Democrat and a lawyer — told his Republican colleagues, “I can’t say the word, but you all have basically dropped the F-bomb on the United States Supreme Court,” per Bloomberg.

The legislature is required to submit its decided-upon map to a panel of federal judges, which will ultimately determine whether it gives Black Alabama residents a real voice in electing their leaders.

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