A three-judge panel of federal courts in Alabama blocks the state from using a Republican-backed congressional redistricting map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The judges rule that the plan was drawn with intentional race-based discrimination in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Multiple outlets report that the decision follows Alabama’s attempt to use a 2023 map that had not taken effect after earlier rulings found discriminatory intent.
Reporters describe the case as part of Alabama’s ongoing redistricting litigation, in which courts have previously required the state to maintain two majority-Black districts that elected Democrats. In Tuesday’s ruling, the judges hold that a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision narrowing the Voting Rights Act does not change their conclusion about unconstitutional discrimination. Several sources add that Alabama Republicans say they plan to appeal, with some coverage noting the possibility of seeking U.S. Supreme Court review.
The injunction prevents Alabama from implementing the challenged map “for now,” keeping the state from using the GOP-drawn district lines for the upcoming election cycle.
