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Redistricting in Alabama ahead of the 2026 elections

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Redistricting
State legislative and congressional redistricting after the 2020 census
General information
State-by-state redistricting procedures • Majority-minority districts • Gerrymandering
The 2020 cycle
United States census, 2020 • Congressional apportionment • Redistricting committees • Deadlines • 2022 House elections with multiple incumbents • New U.S.House districts created after apportionment • Congressional maps • State legislative maps • Lawsuits • Status of redistricting after the 2020 census
Redrawn maps
Redistricting before 2024 elections • Redistricting before 2026 elections
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BP-Initials-UPDATED.png Redistricting is the process of enacting new district boundaries for elected offices, particularly for offices in the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures. This article chronicles the 2020 redistricting cycle in California.


Alabama's seven United States representatives and 140 state legislators are all elected from political divisions called districts. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. Federal law stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.

Congressional districts
Litigation over congressional redistricting in Alabama after the 2020 census is ongoing.

On October 5, 2023, a three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama approved a new congressional district map. The map created a new district with a 48.7% Black voting-age population. In its decision, the panel said that "this plan satisfies all constitutional and statutory requirements while hewing as closely as reasonably possible to the Alabama legislature’s 2023 Plan."[1]

A three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ruled on September 5, 2023, that the revised congressional district boundaries that the Alabama legislature enacted on July 21, 2023, were not in accordance with the Voting Rights Act.[2] The state adopted the revised congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on June 8, 2023, that the state's congressional redistricting plan adopted on November 4, 2021, violated the Voting Rights Act and had to be redrawn to include a second majority-Black district.[3][4] The federal district court's order said, "this Court concluded that the 2023 Plan did not remedy the likely Section 2 violation found by this Court and affirmed by the Supreme Court. We, therefore, preliminarily enjoined Secretary Allen from using the 2023 Plan in Alabama’s upcoming 2024 congressional elections."[2]

Click here for more information about the congressional maps enacted in Alabama after the 2020 census.

Legislative districts
Litigation over state legislative redistricting in Alabama after the 2020 census is ongoing.

On August 22, 2025, the district court struck down the state senate map as a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.[5]

Alabama enacted state legislative maps for the state Senate and House of Representatives on Nov. 4, 2021, after Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed the proposals into law.[6] Senators approved the Senate map on Nov. 1 with a 25-7 vote.[7] Representatives approved the Senate map on Nov. 3 with a 76-26 vote.[6] For the House proposal, representatives voted 68-35 in favor on Nov. 1 and senators followed on Nov. 3 with a 22-7 vote.[8] These maps took effect for Alabama's 2022 legislative elections.

Click here for more information about the state legislative maps enacted in Alabama after the 2020 census.

See the sections below for further information on the following topics:

  1. Summary: This section provides summary information about the drafting and enacting processes.
  2. Enactment: This section provides information about the enacted congressional and state legislative district maps.
  3. Drafting process: This section details the drafting process for new congressional and state legislative district maps.
  4. Apportionment and release of census data: This section details the 2020 apportionment process, including data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
  5. Court challenges: This section details court challenges to the enacted congressional and state legislative district maps.
  6. Background: This section summarizes federal and state-based requirements for redistricting at both the congressional and state legislative levels. A summary of the 2010 redistricting cycle in California is also provided.

For a complete overview of redistricting in Alabama after the 2020 census, click here.

Summary

See also: Redistricting in Alabama after the 2020 census

This section lists major events in the post-2020 census redistricting cycle in reverse chronological order. Major events include the release of apportionment data, the release of census population data, the introduction of formal map proposals, the enactment of new maps, and noteworthy court challenges. Click the dates below for additional information.

Court challenges

See also: Redistricting lawsuits in the 2020 redistricting cycle

Post-enactment lawsuits (see Allen v. Milligan)

This section provides overviews of lawsuits challenging redistricting maps that were filed after Alabama enacted maps for the 2020 redistricting cycle.

State appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court

On June 6, 2025, the state appealed a May 2025 ruling that the Alabama State Legislature intentionally discriminated against Black voters with its 2023 congressional district map.[10]

Federal court considers state-drawn congressional map

The same panel that rejected the state's revised congressional boundaries before the 2024 election, which led to the use of court-created districts in that election, decided whether the state-drawn map diluted Black votes. The state defended the legislature's map, and the plaintiffs sought to make the court-drawn map permanent.[11] A trial began on February 10, 2025. The panel ruled on May 8, 2025, that the legislature discriminated against Black voters when they approved a congressional map that contained one majority-Black district. The court-drawn map would stay in place until the 2030 redistricting cycle.[12]

U.S. Supreme Court rejects revised congressional map

On September 26, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the state's request to use the district boundaries overturned by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The decision was unanimous, with none of the justices dissenting. The ruling allowed for the continued consideration of Special Master Richard Allen's proposed district maps by a panel of federal judges. Lead plaintiff Evan Milligan said the ruling was a "victory for all Alabamians" and "definitely a really positive step." Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office had not issued a statement on the decision as of September 26.[13]

Federal court panel overturns Alabama’s revised congressional redistricting plan

A three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ruled on September 5, 2023, that the revised congressional district boundaries that the Alabama legislature enacted on July 21, 2023, were not in accordance with the Voting Rights Act.[2] The federal district court's order said, "this Court concluded that the 2023 Plan did not remedy the likely Section 2 violation found by this Court and affirmed by the Supreme Court. We, therefore, preliminarily enjoined Secretary Allen from using the 2023 Plan in Alabama’s upcoming 2024 congressional elections."[2] The federal district court ordered its Special Master to submit three proposed remedial plans with the court by September 25, 2023, that comply with the Voting Rights Act and "traditional redistricting principles to the extent reasonably practicable."[2] On September 5, 2023, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen's office said it would appeal the federal court's decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. A spokesperson for Allen issued a statement which said, "While we are disappointed in today’s decision, we strongly believe that the legislature’s map complies with the Voting Rights Act and the recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. We intend to promptly seek review from the Supreme Court to ensure that the State can use its lawful congressional districts in 2024 and beyond."[14] Special Master Richard Allen submitted the three maps for the judges' consideration on September 25. One map would create a second congressional district in southeastern Alabama with a 50.1% Black voting-age population, while the other two would create districts with either a 48.7% or 48.5% Black population.[15]

Plaintiffs file objection to state's 2023 revised map

On July 28, 2023, the plaintiffs in Allen v. Milligan objected to the revised congressional district boundaries that the state enacted on July 21, 2023.[9] The plaintiffs' objection argued, "Alabama’s new congressional map ignores this Court’s preliminary injunction order and instead perpetuates the Voting Rights Act violation that was the very reason that the Legislature redrew the map. The new map (known as SB5) fails to address this Court’s ruling that the 2021 congressional map likely violates § 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA)."[16] The plaintiffs requested that the court prohibit the state from using the new boundaries and appoint a special master to draw a new congressional map that the state would use for the remainder of the decade.[9]

U.S. Supreme Court rules Alabama’s congressional map violates the Voting Rights Act

See also: Allen v. Milligan

On June 8, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 5-4 that Alabama's congressional map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and had to be redrawn to include a second majority-Black district. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion and was joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Amy Coney Barrett formed the minority.[4]

U.S. Supreme Court stays injunction against Alabama’s congressional map

On February 7, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States stayed a preliminary injunction that a three-judge federal district court panel had issued enjoining Alabama from using the congressional redistricting plan that the state had enacted on November 4, 2021. The Supreme Court’s stay meant that the congressional district boundaries adopted by the state will be used for the 2022 elections. The Court also granted a petition for a writ of certiorari in the case, meaning that the Court accepted the case challenging the congressional district maps for either the 2021-2022 term or the 2022-2023 term.[17]

The Court’s majority did not post a full opinion in the case. Four of the nine justices wrote or joined in dissenting opinions, meaning the vote to stay the district court’s injunction was 5-4. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a concurring opinion on granting the stay, which was joined by Justice Samuel Alito. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Elena Kagan issued dissenting opinions, with Kagan’s dissent joined by Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor.

Federal court panel blocks Alabama’s congressional redistricting plan

A three-judge federal court panel issued a preliminary injunction on Jan. 24 enjoining Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill (R) from conducting the state’s 2022 elections using the congressional redistricting plan that the state adopted on November 4, 2021.[18]

The judges unanimously ruled that the plaintiffs in Milligan v. Merrill are substantially likely to establish, among other factors, “that Black Alabamians are sufficiently numerous to constitute a voting-age majority in a second congressional district,” and “Black voters have less opportunity than other Alabamians to elect candidates of their choice to Congress.” Four sets of plaintiffs had filed lawsuits challenging Alabama’s new congressional districts for violating Section Two of the Voting Rights Act.[19]

The panel’s decision pushed back the deadline for U.S. House candidates to qualify to run from the state’s original deadline of January 28 to February 11. It also directed the state legislature to devise a congressional redistricting plan “that includes either an additional majority-Black congressional district, or an additional district in which Black voters otherwise have an opportunity to elect a representative of their choice.”[19]

The panel’s three judges were Senior Justice Stanley Marcus of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, and District Court Justices Anna Manasco and Terry Moorer. Marcus was first appointed to a federal district court judgeship by President Ronald Reagan (R) in 1985 and to the 11th Circuit by President Bill Clinton (D) in 1997. Manasco and Moorer were appointed as federal judges by President Donald Trump (R) in 2020 and 2018, respectively.

In an email to media outlets on January 24, 2022, a spokesperson for Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) wrote that, “The Attorney General’s Office strongly disagrees with the court’s decision and will be appealing in the coming days.”[20]

Thomas v. Merrill

On Nov. 15, 2021, James Thomas and three voters, Greater Birmingham Ministries, and the Alabama NAACP filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State John Merrill (R) and the House and Senate redistricting chairmen, Rep. Chris Pringle (R) and Sen. Jim McClendon (R).[21] Plaintiffs filed their lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama challenging the state House and Senate maps enacted on Nov. 4, 2021, by Gov. Kay Ivey (R). Plaintiffs alleged that 21 of the House districts and 11 of the Senate districts were racial gerrymanders in violation of the 14th Amendment.[22] As relief, plaintiffs asked the court to declare the maps unconstitutional and require legislators to develop new maps addressing the cited districts.[21]

  • View the plaintiffs' complaint here.

Milligan v. Merrill

On Nov. 15, 2021, Evan Milligan and four other voters, Greater Birmingham Ministries, and the Alabama NAACP filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State John Merrill (R) and the House and Senate redistricting chairmen, Rep. Chris Pringle (R) and Sen. Jim McClendon (R).[23] Plaintiffs filed their lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama challenging the congressional map enacted on Nov. 4, 2021, by Gov. Kay Ivey (R).[23] Plaintiffs alleged that the congressional map violated the Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment, saying the map packed Black voters into the 7th Congressional District and cracked Black voters among three other districts.[24] As relief, plaintiffs asked the court to invalidate the enacted congressional map and order a new map with instructions to include a second majority-Black district.[23]

  • View the plaintiffs' complaint here.

Caster v. Merrill

On Nov. 4, 2021, Marcus Caster and seven other Alabama voters filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State John Merrill (R) in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama challenging the congressional map enacted on Nov. 4, 2021, by Gov. Kay Ivey (R).[25] In their complaint, plaintiffs alleged that the enacted congressional map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act "because it strategically cracks and packs Alabama's Black communities, diluting Black voting strength and confining Black voting power to one majority-Black district."[26] As relief, plaintiffs asked the court to invalidate the enacted congressional map and order a new map with instructions to include a second majority-Black district.[25] Following the filing of the plaintiffs' complaint, the case was transferred to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.[25]

  • View the plaintiffs' complaint here.

Alabama NAACP v. Allen

On November 15, 2021, a group of voters and organizations sued the Alabama Secretary of State and members of the Alabama Legislature's redistricting committee, arguing that the state legislative maps enacted after the 2020 census were racial gerrymanders.[27] On August 22, 2025, the district court struck down the state senate map as a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.[28]

For more information about redistricting lawsuits in Alabama, click here.

Enacted maps

Enacted congressional district maps

See also: Congressional district maps implemented after the 2020 census

On October 5, 2023, a three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama approved a new congressional district map. The map created a new district with a 48.7% Black voting-age population. In its decision, the panel said that "this plan satisfies all constitutional and statutory requirements while hewing as closely as reasonably possible to the Alabama legislature’s 2023 Plan."[29]

A three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ruled on September 5, 2023, that the revised congressional district boundaries that the Alabama legislature enacted on July 21, 2023, were not in accordance with the Voting Rights Act.[2] The state adopted the revised congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on June 8, 2023, that the state's congressional redistricting plan adopted on November 4, 2021, violated the Voting Rights Act and had to be redrawn to include a second majority-Black district.[3][4] The federal district court's order said, "this Court concluded that the 2023 Plan did not remedy the likely Section 2 violation found by this Court and affirmed by the Supreme Court. We, therefore, preliminarily enjoined Secretary Allen from using the 2023 Plan in Alabama’s upcoming 2024 congressional elections."[2]

On September 26, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the state's request to use the district boundaries overturned by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The decision was unanimous, with none of the justices dissenting. The ruling allowed for the continuation of Special Master Richard Allen's proposed district maps by a panel of federal judges. Lead plaintiff Evan Milligan said the ruling was a "victory for all Alabamians" and "definitely a really positive step." Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office had not issued a statement on the decision as of September 26.[30]

The federal district court ordered its Special Master to submit three proposed remedial plans with the court by September 25, 2023, that comply with the Voting Rights Act and "traditional redistricting principles to the extent reasonably practicable."[2] Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen's office said it would appeal the federal court's decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. A spokesperson for Allen issued a statement which said, "While we are disappointed in today’s decision, we strongly believe that the legislature’s map complies with the Voting Rights Act and the recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. We intend to promptly seek review from the Supreme Court to ensure that the State can use its lawful congressional districts in 2024 and beyond."[31] Special Master Richard Allen submitted the three maps for the judges' consideration on September 25. One map would create a second congressional district in southeastern Alabama with a 50.1% Black voting-age population, while the other two would create districts with either a 48.7% or 48.5% Black population.[32]

Enacted state legislative district maps

See also: State legislative district maps implemented after the 2020 census

On August 22, 2025, the district court struck down the state senate map as a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.[33]

Alabama enacted state legislative maps for the state Senate and House of Representatives on Nov. 4, 2021, after Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed the proposals into law.[6] Senators approved the Senate map on Nov. 1 with a 25-7 vote.[34] Representatives approved the Senate map on Nov. 3 with a 76-26 vote.[6] For the House proposal, representatives voted 68-35 in favor on Nov. 1 and senators followed on Nov. 3 with a 22-7 vote.[35] These maps took effect for Alabama's 2022 legislative elections.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, "Case 2:21-cv-01530-AMM," accessed October 6, 2023
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, "Milligan, et. al v. Allen, et. al," September 5, 2023
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 CNN, "Alabama GOP-controlled legislature approves congressional map with just one majority-Black district despite court order," accessed July 21, 2023
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 MSN, "Supreme Court rules in favor of Black voters in Alabama redistricting case," June 8, 2023
  5. ↑ Alabama Reflector, "Federal judge: Alabama Senate map violates Voting Rights Act," August 22, 2025
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Montgomery Advertiser, "Gov. Kay Ivey signs off on Alabama congressional, legislative, SBOE maps for 2022," Nov. 4, 2021
  7. ↑ Alabama Political Reporter, "Alabama Senate passes Senate, State School Board districts," Nov. 1, 2021
  8. ↑ Alabama Political Report, "House district lines comfortably pass House over objections from both sides ," Nov. 1, 2021
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 CNN, "Plaintiffs in high-profile redistricting case urge judges to toss out Alabama’s controversial congressional map," July 29, 2023
  10. ↑ Alabama Political Reporter, "Allen asks for redistricting case’s appeal back to SCOTUS," June 9, 2025
  11. ↑ Associated Press, "Alabama’s congressional map at stake in federal Voting Rights Act trial," February 10, 2025
  12. ↑ Alabama Reflector, "Federal court: Alabama Legislature intentionally discriminated against Black voters in redistricting," May 8, 2025
  13. ↑ Associated Press, "The Supreme Court will let Alabama’s congressional map be redrawn to better represent Black voters," September 26, 2023
  14. ↑ USA Today, "Federal court smacks down Alabama congressional maps in showdown over Black voting power," September 5, 2023
  15. ↑ CNN, "Special master in Alabama redistricting case proposes three House maps in a closely watched voting rights fight," September 25, 2023
  16. ↑ United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Milligan v. Allen, July 28, 2023
  17. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Merrill v. Milligan, February 7, 2022
  18. ↑ Montgomery Advertiser, "Federal court blocks Alabama's new congressional district map, saying it's not fair to Blacks," January 25, 2022
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 United States District Court Northern District of Alabama, Southern Division, Bobby Singleton, et al., and Evan Milligan, et al., v. John H. Merrill, in his official capacity as Secretary of State of Alabama, et al., January 24, 2022
  20. ↑ Associated Press, "Alabama’s new congressional districts map blocked by judges," January 25, 2022
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Democracy Docket, "Alabama Legislative Redistricting Challenge," accessed Nov. 18, 2021
  22. ↑ Democracy Docket, "Thomas complaint," Nov. 15, 2021
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Democracy Docket, "Alabama Congressional Redistricting Challenge (Milligan)," accessed Nov. 18, 2021
  24. ↑ Democracy Docket, "Milligan complaint," Nov. 15, 2021
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Democracy Docket, "Alabama Congressional Redistricting Challenge (Caster)," accessed Nov. 18, 2021
  26. ↑ Democracy Docket," Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief," Nov. 4, 2021
  27. ↑ The American Redistricting Project, "Alabama NAACP v. Allen," accessed August 26, 2025
  28. ↑ Alabama Reflector, "Federal judge: Alabama Senate map violates Voting Rights Act," August 22, 2025
  29. ↑ United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, "Case 2:21-cv-01530-AMM," accessed October 6, 2023
  30. ↑ Associated Press, "The Supreme Court will let Alabama’s congressional map be redrawn to better represent Black voters," September 26, 2023
  31. ↑ USA Today, "Federal court smacks down Alabama congressional maps in showdown over Black voting power," September 5, 2023
  32. ↑ CNN, "Special master in Alabama redistricting case proposes three House maps in a closely watched voting rights fight," September 25, 2023
  33. ↑ Alabama Reflector, "Federal judge: Alabama Senate map violates Voting Rights Act," August 22, 2025
  34. ↑ Alabama Political Reporter, "Alabama Senate passes Senate, State School Board districts," Nov. 1, 2021
  35. ↑ Alabama Political Report, "House district lines comfortably pass House over objections from both sides ," Nov. 1, 2021
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