Wes Allen, Alabama’s Secretary of State, has urgently requested the U.S. Supreme Court to expedite the review of the state’s ongoing congressional redistricting litigation. This request comes shortly after the high court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which concluded that Louisiana’s congressional map created an unconstitutional racial gerrymander by setting up a second majority-black district.
In his capacity as the appellant in Alabama’s case, Allen stated, “I have taken the legal measures necessary, in cooperation with Alabama’s Attorney General Steve Marshall to ask the US Supreme Court to take quick and decisive action which will allow Alabama to pursue congressional maps that reflect the will of the people,” as he reported.
Allen expressed hope that Alabamians would soon regain the authority to draw their own districts, moving past the reliance on court-appointed mapmakers.
Attorney General Marshall has also filed emergency motions requesting the Supreme Court to lift the injunctions currently barring Alabama from utilizing its newly drawn congressional map from 2023. These motions aim to permit the state to implement maps created by the legislature instead of those imposed by previous court actions.
Governor Kay Ivey praised the swift actions taken by her fellow officials. She stated, “I applaud Attorney General Steve Marshall and Secretary of State Wes Allen for quickly filing emergency motions at the Supreme Court regarding Alabama’s redistricting case. As I have said time and again, Alabama knows our state, our people, and our districts better than the federal courts or activist groups. I remain hopeful that Alabama receives a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court,”
Press Release: Secretary of State Wes Allen Files Motion with US Supreme Court on Alabama Redistricting
Read more here: https://t.co/MQXQ1r290T#alpolitics pic.twitter.com/Zh7rhKYoTy
— Wes Allen Alabama Secretary of State (@alasecofstate) April 30, 2026
The recent developments follow the 2023 Supreme Court ruling in Allen v. Milligan, which found that Alabama’s 2021 congressional map infringed upon Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by undermining the voting strength of Black residents. This ruling prompted the necessity for a second district allowing Black voters to elect their preferred candidates.
A newly crafted map by the Alabama Legislature faced legal challenges and was subsequently enjoined by a federal district court for not adequately remedying the violation. A court-appointed plan is currently being utilized for the 2024 elections, and a standing injunction prevents implementing new congressional districts until after the 2030 census.
Governor Ivey had previously opted against calling a special session for redistricting, instead seeking further clarification on the law from the Supreme Court.
In response to the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, Ivey reaffirmed her stance on congressional maps, asserting that Alabama is “not in position to have a special session at this time,” but she remains optimistic that this new precedent will favor the state’s ongoing matters before the Supreme Court.
Both Louisiana and Tennessee have initiated measures to reform their congressional maps in light of the Supreme Court’s recent interpretation of the Voting Rights Act as it pertains to redistricting. Louisiana must redraw its maps following a court ruling that invalidated its congressional districts due to unconstitutional racial gerrymandering, while Tennessee officials, including gubernatorial candidates, are urging their legislature to modify the current plan that features a single majority-minority district in Memphis.
