Overview
- The Supreme Court on Tuesday paused a three-judge federal injunction and allowed Alabama to implement the legislature‑drawn 2023 map for the 2026 cycle while appeals and further review proceed.
- The lower court had ruled on May 26 that the 2023 plan intentionally discriminated against Black voters and ordered the state to use a court‑drawn remedial map instead.
- The high court’s unsigned order said the state showed it was likely to prevail and faulted the lower court for changing election rules close to the primary calendar under recent guidance from the Court.
- Under the 2023 map, Alabama would drop from two majority‑Black opportunity districts to one, a change widely reported as likely to turn a Democratic seat competitive and could shift the delegation toward Republicans; officials set special primaries for affected districts on Aug. 11.
- The dispute follows the Court’s April decision in Louisiana v. Callais that raised the legal bar for Voting Rights Act claims and has triggered fast, contested mid‑decade redistricting and competing emergency briefs from civil‑rights groups, the NRCC, and the U.S. Solicitor General.