Supreme Court rules Alabama may redraw congressional maps to oust a Black Democrat
WASHINGTON— The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday night that Republican leaders in Alabama can redraw congressional voting districts to oust a black Democrat and elect a white Republican.
The court’s conservatives, who ruled in favor of Louisiana Republicans in the redistricting dispute, extended that decision to include Alabama. Three liberals opposed.
The decision clears the way for the governor and state lawmakers to redraw congressional voting maps with six districts favoring Republicans and one district supporting Democrats.
“Weeks ago, I warned that lifting the District Court’s injunction in these cases would ‘unleash chaos and…confuse voters,'” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in her dissent. “But just as Alabama doubled down on racial segregation, the Court is doubling down on chaos today. I respectfully dissent because I choose to defend the rule of law and the right of all Alabamians to participate equally in democracy.”
The justices granted the emergency appeal, backed by the Trump administration, and reversed the three-judge panel’s decision in Alabama.
In its brief opinion, the court said the three justices should not have blocked Alabama’s new map.
“While federal courts should not make changes close to the election, states are free to decide for themselves whether last-minute changes to the election are in their best interests,” the court said.
Alabama’s emergency appeal went to Judge Clarence Thomas, who referred the matter to the full court.
Those three judges, two of whom were appointed by Trump, ruled that Alabama state lawmakers discriminated against Black voters, who make up a near majority in the state’s heartland.
Three years ago the Supreme Court agreed.
In a 5-4 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the justices approved the creation of a second district in the center of the state with a near-majority of Black voters.
The result was an Alabama state voting map favoring five Republicans and two Democrats for the House of Representatives.
But last month, in the wake of the Louisiana decision, Alabama lawmakers returned to court, arguing that the state could return to the voting map with only a single majority-black district.
Alabama Lawyer in his appeal to the Supreme Court. Gen. Steven Marshall argued that the high court’s decision in favor of Louisiana “confirms Alabama’s position on the legality” of the earlier voting map. He said the state should not be punished for “deliberately refusing to discriminate” in favor of Black voters.
The court’s decision cleared the way for Republican-led states in the South to flip congressional districts in Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida and now Alabama.
