A federal court in Alabama has struck down Republicans’ attempt to redraw the state’s congressional map, on the grounds that it intentionally discriminates against Black voters. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court ruled that the state could not switch to its 2023 congressional map, which had previously been blocked in court three years ago, even after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act earlier this month. That earlier map only had one majority-Black, Democratic-leaning district, as opposed to the current two. “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,” the judges said in their ruling. Two of the three judges were appointed by President Trump himself.Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court cleared the way for Alabama to redraw its maps, sending the redistricting process down to the lower court. Republicans will almost certainly appeal Tuesday’s ruling, sending it back up to the high court. Alabama Republicans have ignored protests and even natural disasters in order to force through a new congressional map as primary elections draw near. Governor Kay Ivey last week delayed four of the state’s congressional primaries in anticipation of the new map. For now, though, three federal judges are blocking their attempt. “There is no convincing evidence that it is necessary for us to allow Alabama to pivot to the 2023 Plan in the middle of an election, and substantial evidence that it is not,” the judges ruled.This story has been updated.
