MONTGOMERY — Governor Kay Ivey signed two redistricting special election bills into law on Friday that would allow the state to use previously passed congressional district and State Senate maps if a federal court or the U.S. Supreme Court lifts an injunction on Alabama.
Governor Kay Ivey called a special session last week after a 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callias, in which SCOTUS held that race-based redistricting is unconstitutional. Alabama swiftly reacted, filing motions to have the injunction on the congressional map approved by lawmakers in 2023 lifted. The 2023 map followed an initial map that was blocked by a federal court, forcing lawmakers to redraw it. Despite the redrawing, a three-judge panel likewise found that the 2023 map likely violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
A federally appointed special master drew a map for the State to use in the 2024 election, and the State remains under a court order prohibiting the use of new congressional maps until after the 2030 Census.
The congressional district bill would require the state to hold a special election for the 2026 congressional race using the 2023 map if SCOTUS or a federal court lifts the injunction. The possible change would likely mean Alabama would send six Republicans to Congress instead of five. Under the change, U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Mobile) could lose the congressional seat he was elected to in 2024.
Multiple red states have redistricted in recent months at the urging of President Donald Trump.
"With this special session successfully behind us, Alabama now stands ready to quickly act, should the courts issue favorable rulings in our ongoing redistricting cases. I thank the Legislature for answering my call to address the issue in fast order. I am grateful to Speaker Ledbetter and Pro Tem Gudger for their strong leadership and focus this week. Alabama knows our state, our people and our districts best," Ivey said.
The congressional district bill passed the Senate by a 27-8 margin. A similar bill dealing with Montgomery-area State Senate districts passed the House. Both bills are headed to Ivey for her signature.
"The successful special session held this week put Alabama firmly on the path toward reclaiming our congressional and legislative elections with maps that were drafted, drawn and approved by Alabamians, not by the federal courts," State Sen. Pro-Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) said. "Our senators deserve recognition for working through tornado warnings, a fire alarm, and State House flooding in order to embrace the Louisiana v. Callais decision and do our part to help President Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, and the Republican Party maintain control of Congress for the next several years."
Gudger continued, "And we accomplished all of this while protecting the two most important things guaranteed to every American by our U.S. Constitution — their voice and their vote. Since 1939, our state motto has been 'We Dare Defend Our Rights,' and this week, the Alabama Senate did just that."
State Sen Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) applauded the House for passing the State Senate legislation he filed.
"This successful special session injected a strong dose of common sense back into Alabama's legislative elections, and playing a major part is one of my proudest accomplishments," Elliott said. "The bill that I sponsored during the special session this week allows Alabama to hold elections under the constitutional maps that were passed by the Legislature in 2021 and improperly overturned by the courts. The Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais decision opens the door to right a judicial wrong and allow us to use district maps that were drawn by Alabamians, not by federal judges, and we were wise to go into session and use that opportunity."
Democrats vehemently opposed both bills. Democrat Senators could be heard yelling "Stop the steal!" and "Hell no!" during a roll call vote on Thursday afternoon. Democrats filibustered the bill on Thursday for five hours.
Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) said the special session would lead to multiple Republicans losing in November due to voter backlash.
"The Callais case has nothing to do with Milligan (the Alabama redistricting case)," Singleton said. "Y'all are going to go down that drain with Mr. Trump. He's falling deep. I know someone said they wanted the whole state to be red. Some of you are not going to make it back."
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