A federal court has halted Alabama's plans to revert to its 2023 congressional maps for the upcoming elections. The court's decision is significant as it could impact the outcome of one of the state's seven House seats, which may shift from Democratic to Republican control if the 2023 maps were used.
On Tuesday, a three-judge panel ordered the state to use court-drawn maps instead, which were established after previous maps were deemed to intentionally dilute minority voting power. The state intends to appeal this ruling.
Earlier in May, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted injunctions that had prevented Alabama from using the 2023 maps following emergency motions filed by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. However, the panel of judges stated that their review in light of a recent ruling did not change their conclusion.
The court emphasized the urgency of their decision, stating they had to choose between allowing the state to proceed with a map that discriminated against Black voters or issuing an injunction just two and a half months before the special primary elections. They opted for the latter.
The upcoming special primaries on August 11 will proceed under the current court-ordered map unless further intervention occurs from the U.S. Supreme Court. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen and Governor Kay Ivey have both expressed their disagreement with the court's decision and their intention to appeal.