Alabama Redistricting Fight Turns to Covid-Era Election Clause

Alabama’s 2026 redistricting fight may not be over, even after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the state to use a Republican-favored congressional map this year.

State Court Report says a 2022 amendment to the Alabama Constitution could create a new legal problem for the maps. The provision, passed after pandemic-era absentee voting changes, says election-related laws enacted in a general election year must take effect at least six months before Election Day.

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That matters because Alabama’s map changes are unfolding months before the November midterms. The Supreme Court’s order allows Alabama to use a map with one majority-Black district instead of the court-ordered map with two Black opportunity districts. AP reported that the change gives Republicans a chance to reclaim the south Alabama seat held by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures.

The result is a high-stakes election law fight with both state and national consequences.

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