Alabama AG Seeks Emergency Ruling on Senate Map as Primary Deadline Nears
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is asking a federal appeals court to move quickly in a redistricting fight that could affect which State Senate map voters use as Alabama’s primary calendar tightens.
Marshall’s emergency motion asks the court to lift or pause injunctions blocking Alabama from using its legislatively enacted map. His office argues that the state should be allowed to use its own districts after the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, a ruling that narrowed how courts may apply Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in redistricting cases.
The legal fight now has a larger political and social media frame.
Marshall promoted the redistricting push on X, and Alabama conservative media and local outlets amplified the filings. Republican state officials also moved quickly to support the effort. Secretary of State Wes Allen said Alabama should be able to pursue maps reflecting “the will of the people,” while Gov. Kay Ivey said Alabama knows its districts better than federal courts or activist groups.
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Democrats and civil rights advocates are framing the issue differently. Rep. Shomari Figures, whose congressional district was created after courts found Black voting power had been diluted, warned that the Supreme Court decision could encourage Southern states to redraw maps in ways that weaken Black voters’ influence. Rep. Terri Sewell called the decision a major blow to the Voting Rights Act.
The immediate consequence is practical: Alabama’s district lines affect voters, candidates, and ballot planning before the May 19 primary. Gov. Ivey has already called lawmakers into a special session focused on special primary elections if Alabama’s map litigation shifts in the state’s favor.
The next court ruling could determine whether Alabama proceeds under its own map or remains bound by court-ordered boundaries.
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