


A three-judge panel in federal district court struck down Alabama's redrawn congressional map for allegedly violating the Voting Rights Act, months after the Supreme Court struck down a previous map on similar grounds.
The court argues the new congressional map "plainly fails" to adhere to the Supreme Court's ruling in June that a second majority-black district be made in the state.
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"We do not take lightly federal intrusion into a process ordinarily reserved for the State Legislature. But we have now said twice that this Voting Rights Act case is not close. And we are deeply troubled that the State enacted a map that the State readily admits does not provide the remedy we said federal law requires," the order read.
The redrawn map, which was passed in July, only included one majority-black district, but it also included a district where 40% of the voting population is black. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ruled this new map was not sufficient on Tuesday.
The court further ordered a special master to submit three maps that include black-majority districts by Sept. 25, with a hearing for any objections to the proposed maps scheduled for Oct. 3.
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Officials in Alabama have said they would like to have a congressional map solidified for the 2024 elections by Oct. 1, 2023, to allow enough time to "reassign voters, print and distribute ballots, and otherwise conduct the forthcoming 2024 primary elections based on the new map."
The creation of a second majority-black congressional district in Alabama would likely flip one of the six Republican seats to the Democrats, as black voters traditionally vote overwhelmingly for the party.