Republicans in Alabama have approved plans for new primary elections if courts allow a set of GOP-drawn House districts to be used in the midterms, a move that could eliminate one of the state’s two Democratic seats. The legislation, which was quickly signed into law by Republican Governor Kay Ivey, is part of a broader effort by Republicans in multiple southern states to respond to a recent Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act.
The new Alabama law would set aside the state’s May 19 primary results for some congressional seats and direct the governor to schedule new primaries if the district lines are allowed to change by a court ruling. The existing congressional map in Alabama, which has five GOP-leaning districts and two Democratic-leaning districts, was drawn by a court-appointed expert in 2023 after earlier maps were rejected for violating the Voting Rights Act.
Alabama Republicans seek to restore a map with just one Democratic-leaning district in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. A chaotic scene erupted at the Alabama Statehouse as protesters voiced their opposition with slogans like “fight for democracy” and “down with white supremacy.”
In addition to Alabama, Republican lawmakers in Louisiana and South Carolina are also facing opposition from civil rights activists and Democrats as they seek to redraw their congressional districts. The redistricting battle is heating up across multiple states as both parties vie for an advantage in the closely divided House ahead of the midterm elections.
Even before the recent Supreme Court ruling, Republicans and Democrats were engaged in a fierce redistricting battle to gain a political edge. The Virginia Supreme Court invalidated new U.S. House districts narrowly approved by voters, ruling that Democratic lawmakers had violated procedural requirements. This ruling dealt a blow to Democrats’ hopes of gaining additional seats in the House.
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