Alabama lawmakers pass plan for new House primary as state pushes to redistrict
Summary
Alabama lawmakers approved a plan to hold new primary elections if courts allow new Republican-drawn congressional districts. This change could reduce the number of Democratic-leaning seats in the state and is tied to recent Supreme Court decisions affecting voting rights laws.Key Facts
- Alabama passed a law to hold new primaries if courts approve new GOP-drawn House districts for the midterm elections.
- The law was quickly signed by Republican Governor Kay Ivey.
- A court injunction from last year requires Alabama to use an existing congressional map until after the 2030 census.
- The current map has five GOP-leaning districts and two Democratic-leaning districts with significant Black voter populations.
- The Supreme Court recently narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which had required states to create majority-minority districts.
- Alabama Republicans want to reinstate a 2023 map with only one Democratic-leaning district.
- Protests and opposition, including from Black lawmakers and civil rights activists, occurred during the special session.
- Similar redistricting fights are underway in other southern states like Louisiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
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