Alabama Attorney General’s Office Confirms Decision to Appeal Redistricting Decision
If successful, the 2024 election map could be redrawn
ALPolitics.com can confirm that Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has decided to appeal a recent federal court ruling striking down the Legislature's 2023 congressional redistricting map. The panel of three judges, in their May 8 decision, affirmed their belief that the proposed 2023 map discriminated against Blacks and violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
No formal statement has been issued by the Attorney General’s Office as of press time, but a source within the office verbally confirmed yesterday’s report that an appeal was indeed being planned, via phone call with ALPolitics.com. This confirmation was received shortly before noon on Wednesday, May 21.
A formal statement was under consideration as of the time of that conversation.
In their 571 page decision, regarding the Legislature’s “2023 Plan,” the judges stated that: “The legislature‘s conduct, and that concession thrust this case into an unusual posture: we are not aware of any other case in which a state legislature faced with a federal court order, declaring that it’s a electoral plan, unlawfully, dilute minority votes and requiring a remedial plan that provides an additional opportunity district-responded with a plan at the state concedes does not provide that district.“ (p.6)
The judges, after finding the 2023 plan inadequate, ordered three plans drawn up by a Special Master for their approval. The 2024 election, held under the Special Master’s map selected by the judges, resulted in Democrat Shomari Figures being elected in Congressional District 2. This marks the first time that two of Alabama’s seven districts have been held by Blacks. Incumbent Democrat Terri Sewell, who is also Black, was reelected in District 7 in that election.
No details of the planned appeal have been released. If successful, the appeal could allow the reinstatement of the 2023 Plan map. It also might necessitate a special session of the Legislature to draw another map(s) for the court’s approval.
If the appeal is unsuccessful, the current map, drawn up by the Special Master and imposed by the court, could continue to be used until after the next census and its mandated redistricting.
