Alabama signs gerrymandering plan and redraws state senate map
Updated
Updated · Democracy Docket · May 8
Alabama signs gerrymandering plan and redraws state senate map
26 articles · Updated · Democracy Docket · May 8
The Senate gave final approval on Friday and Governor Kay Ivey immediately signed both measures, even as absentee voting has begun before the May 19 primary.
The law cannot take effect unless federal courts lift injunctions requiring Alabama to use a court-ordered congressional map until 2030, and it allows the state to halt the primary for a special election.
The move follows the Supreme Court's rollback of Voting Rights Act protections and comes as Tennessee, Louisiana and South Carolina also pursue maps affecting majority-Black districts.
As states rush to redraw districts, what happens to the thousands of votes already cast in primary elections?
Will the Supreme Court's ruling on voting rights lead to a measurable decline in minority representation in Congress?
How can a state's motive for redrawing voting maps be proven under the Supreme Court's new 'intent' standard?
How Alabama's Emergency Legislation and Supreme Court Ruling Threaten Minority Representation in 2026 Elections
Overview
In May 2026, Alabama lawmakers passed HB1, authorizing Governor Ivey to cancel the May 19 primary results if courts require reverting to the 2023 congressional map, which dilutes Black voting power by reducing majority-Black districts. This move followed the Supreme Court's April 2026 Callais ruling, which raised the legal bar for challenging racial vote dilution, prompting Alabama's Attorney General to file emergency motions to lift injunctions on the 2023 map. The legislation and legal actions sparked protests and sharp political divisions, with Republicans defending the measures as election integrity efforts and Democrats condemning them as voter suppression. The Callais decision also weakens federal protections nationwide, leading multiple states to introduce new voting rights bills in response.