Black Voters Just Scored a Big Victory-in Alabama

A three-judge federal panel in Alabama struck down the state’s latest congressional map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The ruling rejected Alabama’s attempt to reduce Black political power, particularly for Black residents in the “Black belt.” The decision followed the long-running Allen v. Milligan case after the 2020 census. Alabama’s earlier map created only one majority-minority district out of seven, diluting Black voting strength. Voting-rights activists sought a second majority-minority district, and district court relief was delayed by a Supreme Court timing ruling. Later, the Supreme Court ruled Alabama’s maps were racist and unconstitutional, prompting Alabama to draw a new plan that the district court again found essentially the same and unlawful.

"In a ruling issued on Tuesday, a three-judge panel, which included two judges appointed by Donald Trump, rejected Alabama's latest attempt to gerrymander away the political power of Black people. The federal district court struck down the state's new congressional map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Alabama has already indicated that it will file an emergency appeal."

"After the 2020 census, Alabama redrew its congressional map in such a way that only one of its seven districts was majority-minority. The map purposely diluted the voting power of Black people in Alabama, especially those living in the so-called “Black belt,” which cuts laterally across the state. This map was challenged by voting-rights activists who asked the state to draw a second majority-minority district."

"Alabama is 26 percent Black and 6 percent Latino, so having two of seven districts be majority-minority makes mathematical sense. The voting-rights activists won in district court but, in February 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that it was too close to the November 2022 midterms to force Alabama to redraw its maps. The 2022 election went ahead with only one majority-minority district."

"In 2023, the Supreme Court once again took up the case-this time to rule on its merits, not just timing-and ruled that Alabama's maps were racist and therefore unconstitutional. The Alabama legislature then put forth another map, which the district court calls the 2023 Plan, which was essentially the same as the 2021 map the Supreme Court had just rej"

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