The U.S. Supreme Court clears the way for Alabama to use a 2023 congressional map in the 2024 midterm elections that Republicans say will benefit their party. Multiple outlets report that the map would eliminate one of Alabama’s two majority-Black congressional districts, leaving one majority-Black district. A lower court had blocked the plan, finding it intentionally discriminates against Black voters. Alabama Republicans ask the Supreme Court to allow the state to move forward despite that ruling, arguing that recent Supreme Court precedent narrows the standards under the Voting Rights Act and therefore supports their ability to redraw districts for the upcoming elections.
In Tuesday’s decision, the Supreme Court allows Alabama to use the contested map, reversing or pausing the lower court’s order. Reported vote counts vary by outlet, but the decision is described as divided, with the Court effectively reinstating the GOP-backed redistricting plan for this election cycle. The ruling affects only the ability to use this map for the midterms, not a final resolution of the underlying legal claims, according to the descriptions in the coverage.
