Federal court blocks Alabama revised congressional map

A federal court has blocked Alabama from using a newly revised congressional map for the upcoming elections, ruling the plan intentionally discriminates against Black voters. The three-judge panel issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, ordering the state to continue using a court-drawn district plan that was in place for the 2024 elections.

The court found the state’s 2023 redistricting plan, which includes only one Black-majority district, was enacted with discriminatory intent. The judges concluded it diluted Black Alabamians' opportunity to participate in the political process. The ruling requires Alabama to administer its elections using the court-ordered Special Master Plan, which created a second district where Black voters have an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.

The decision halts the state’s effort to revert to the 2023 map following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a Louisiana case that altered the application of the federal Voting Rights Act. Alabama officials had argued the high court’s action opened the door to switch maps. After the Supreme Court lifted an injunction blocking the 2023 map and sent the case back for reconsideration,...