MONTGOMERY — U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) visited Montgomery on Tuesday morning, alongside Democratic state lawmakers, to bemoan the legislature's efforts to clear a path for using congressional maps in the 2026 election cycle that have thus far been blocked in federal court.
The special session was called after the 6-3 majority ruling in Louisiana v. Callias, in which the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) held that race-based redistricting is unconstitutional. Alabama swiftly reacted, filing motions to remove the injunction on the congressional map approved by lawmakers in 2023. The 2023 map came after an initial map 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.
Lawmakers are also attempting to pass legislation to allow a previously drawn map in the state Senate race, which was similarly blocked in court.
On Tuesday, as lawmakers in House and Senate committees advanced respective pieces of legislation, dozens poured out of buses from parts unknown to take the State House steps in protest.
Members of the public with their signs voicing various degrees of displeasure and political acumen halted briefly to hear impassioned presentations from Sewell and others, pushing for the state to maintain two Democratic seats out of Alabama's seven, which includes her seat and U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Mobile), who flipped the previously-Republican seat after the state was induced to use the map drawn by the special master.
"We won't go back," Sewell chanted repeatedly. "We won't step aside. We will make sure that we fight and we fight hard."
She continued, "At this moment, elected Republicans are working to secure an electoral victory by taking Alabama back to the Jim Crow era, and we won't go back."
Sewell accused lawmakers of a "power grab," stating and chanting that the state's democrats deserve two seats in Congress. She also co-opted the "Stop the steal" slogan popularized by the droves who believe that Donald Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 election.
"It's taking away black votes," she said. "It's taking away democratic votes. It's unfair. We are 27% of the population; there are seven seats in Congress; we deserve two. I want you to know that this fight is not about my seat or Shomari's seat, it's about the seat of the people."
Various state lawmakers also spoke, with brief interventions by chants, calling for "two seats now" or exclaiming, "hell no, we won't let it go."
"When I came down here, I had to get gas," said state Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa). "It was damn near $4 a gallon. They didn't call a special session for that. There are people who have to drive hours for healthcare with hospitals closing, that can't afford to take care of themselves. They didn't call a special session for that. As a matter of fact, we're here today to make sure that your voice is taken away from you."
State Rep. Patrick Sellers (D-Birmingham), who introduced himself as a pastor by "calling and a preacher by trade," took the mic to tell everyone in attendance to "vote racist folk out of office."
"Go to the polls," Sellers exclaimed. "Vote. And excuse me, vote their ass out."
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