A federal appeals court has intervened to block Alabama Republicans from reinstating a congressional map that would have benefited the party. The court maintained a prior plan with two majority-Black districts as November’s midterms approach.
This ruling puts an end to the state’s attempts to transition back to a 2023 map that had faced litigation over voting rights, particularly following the Supreme Court’s recent guidelines limiting racial considerations in redistricting.
GOP leaders contended that the high court’s ruling allowed for reconsidering their maps. They aimed to eliminate a Democrat-leaning, Black-majority district in southeastern Alabama while potentially gaining an additional Republican seat.
The three-judge panel decisively rejected this initiative, mandating that the state utilize the map designed to uphold two majority-Black districts, which provide Democrats with considerable advantages.
In their ruling, the federal judges expressed, “Ultimately, we cannot see our way clear to requiring Alabamians to cast their votes in the 2026 elections under a districting plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination.” They noted, “We again cannot understand the 2023 Plan as anything other than intentionally discriminatory.”
Alabama Republicans are anticipated to challenge this ruling in the Supreme Court, prolonging the ongoing redistricting saga and complicating election preparations with approaching filing deadlines and primary dates.
This month, the Supreme Court permitted Alabama to briefly work with the 2023 map while sending the case back to the U.S. District Court in Birmingham for further evaluation. Tuesday’s decision marks another significant development in this complicated issue.
Rep. Shomari Figures, who represents one of the contested Democratic districts, commended this judicial decision but acknowledged that the conflict is far from resolved.
🚨 NOW: A federal court has just INVALIDATED Alabama’s new 6R-1D 2026 redistricting map, likely sending it up to the SUPREME COURT
Appeal and OVERTURN, NOW!
Alabama had just gotten rid of a blue seat due to racial gerrymandering, but this map should EVEN be 7R-0D
GO FOR GOLD… pic.twitter.com/yvxqE48RQx
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 26, 2026
Figures stated, “I am pleased with the Court’s decision, but this case is still not over. Although we expected the Court to reach this decision given the overwhelming evidence, we fully expect the State to immediately appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.”
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He added, “This is a significant step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go before this fight is settled.” The timing of the Alabama ruling coincides with President Donald Trump’s calls for Republican-led states to revise maps in a manner that maximizes GOP representation in light of the Supreme Court’s Callais ruling, which has altered the legal environment around redistricting.
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Furthermore, Tennessee Republicans have initiated efforts to redraw district lines in the Memphis area, which Democrats argue undermines Black voting power and aims to secure a Republican seat. Similar redistricting battles are unfolding in South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana as both parties gear up for a pivotal midterm map conflict.
In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey has already set several House primaries based on the contested map for August 11. The remaining primaries were held earlier this month, increasing the urgency for a definitive legal resolution.
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