Federal Court Rules Against Alabama’s Congressional Map, Upholds Voting Rights for Black Residents
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A federal panel of judges delivered a significant ruling on Thursday, determining that Alabama intentionally undermined the voting strength of Black residents by drawing congressional lines that contravened the Voting Rights Act. As a result, the state must continue using a court-mandated map that enabled the historic election of Alabama’s second Black congressman.
The three-judge panel permanently barred Alabama from implementing a state-drawn map, citing its illegality and clear deviation from previous directives aimed at ensuring fair representation for Black voters. The judges noted that Alabama’s 2023 congressional map unlawfully diluted Black voting strength, reducing it to just one majority-Black district, despite the state’s Black residents constituting about 27% of the population.
In their ruling, the judges criticized Alabama’s “deliberate decision to ignore” earlier instructions, indicating that the legislature had failed to create a second district where Black voters could effectively elect candidates of their choice. This decision follows a February trial that revealed systemic efforts to limit the political influence of Black communities in Alabama.
Deuel Ross, deputy director of litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, hailed the ruling as a victory for perseverance among Black voters in Alabama. He remarked on the repugnant history of resistance to federal mandates that ensure voting rights, likening the state’s actions to a dark chapter in American history.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office has not commented, but an appeal is anticipated. Additionally, a hearing is scheduled regarding the plaintiffs’ request to reinstate preclearance requirements under the Voting Rights Act.
Since the lawsuit’s inception in 2021, the case has drawn attention to the ongoing struggle for political equality among Black residents in Alabama, culminating in U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures securing a place in Congress, marking a pivotal moment in the state’s legislative history.
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