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Alabama officials have filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court to use a Republican-leaning congressional map for the upcoming midterm elections. The appeal follows a federal court ruling that blocked the map, citing intentional discrimination against Black voters. The blocked map could have helped Republicans unseat Democratic Congressman Shomari Figures.
The federal court's decision came despite a recent Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that limited the Voting Rights Act's power to prevent discrimination in redistricting. Alabama argues that the timing is too close to the election for changes, invoking the "Purcell principle," which advises against altering voting rules shortly before an election.
Alabama's Attorney General, Steve Marshall, has expressed confidence in winning the case, stating that the map is "blandly unobjectionable." The state seeks a Supreme Court decision by Monday to proceed with its preferred map.
The legal battle over Alabama's congressional map has been ongoing, with the Supreme Court previously requiring the state to redraw its map to include an additional Black majority district. The current appeal represents another chapter in the complex legal history surrounding Alabama's redistricting efforts.