Alabama’s new congressional districts map blocked by judges

 ========= Old Image Removed =========1Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2022/01/AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:6:{s:5:"width";i:2560;s:6:"height";i:1440;s:4:"file";s:50:"2022/01/AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:51:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-1536x864.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:864;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"2048x2048";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:52:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-2048x1152.jpg";s:5:"width";i:2048;s:6:"height";i:1152;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:50:"AP22025127146691-scaled-e1643125557182-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:3:"3.5";s:6:"credit";s:2:"AP";s:6:"camera";s:10:"NIKON D810";s:7:"caption";s:410:"FILE - Sen. Rodger Smitherman compares U.S. Representative district maps during a special session on redistricting at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., Nov. 3, 2021. Federal judges have blocked Alabama from using newly drawn congressional districts in upcoming elections. A three-judge panel issued a preliminary injunction Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP, File)";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:10:"1635952013";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:3:"116";s:3:"iso";s:4:"4000";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:5:"0.008";s:5:"title";s:21:"Alabama Redistricting";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"1";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}s:14:"original_image";s:20:"AP22025127146691.jpg";}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_image_alt] => Array
        (
            [0] => FILE - Sen. Rodger Smitherman compares U.S. Representative district maps during a special session on redistricting at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., Nov. 3, 2021. Federal judges have blocked Alabama from using newly drawn congressional districts in upcoming elections. A three-judge panel issued a preliminary injunction Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP, File)
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Mickey Welsh
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => The Montgomery Advertiser via AP
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:13:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:2560;s:6:"height";i:1706;s:4:"file";s:27:"AP22025127146691-scaled.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:17:"medium_large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-768x512.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:512;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-771x514.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:514;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"1536x1536-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:30:"AP22025127146691-1536x1024.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1024;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"2048x2048-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:30:"AP22025127146691-2048x1365.jpg";s:5:"width";i:2048;s:6:"height";i:1365;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"AP22025127146691-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-467x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:467;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-398x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:398;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"AP22025127146691-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

)
1656232840 
1643104029
FILE - Sen. Rodger Smitherman compares U.S. Representative district maps during a special session on redistricting at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., Nov. 3, 2021. Federal judges have blocked Alabama from using newly drawn congressional districts in upcoming elections. A three-judge panel issued a preliminary injunction Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP, File)

Sen. Rodger Smitherman compares U.S. Representative district maps during a special session on redistricting at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., Nov. 3, 2021.

Mickey Welsh, The Montgomery Advertiser via AP

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Federal judges on Monday blocked Alabama from using newly drawn congressional districts in upcoming elections, ruling that the state should have two districts — instead of one — in which Black voters are a sizeable portion of the electorate.

“Black voters have less opportunity than other Alabamians to elect candidates of their choice to Congress,” the three-judge panel wrote in the 225-page ruling that found plaintiffs are “substantially likely” to prevail on claims that the current districts violate the Voting Rights Act.

“We find that the plaintiffs will suffer an irreparable harm if they must vote in the 2022 congressional elections based on a redistricting plan that violates federal law,” the ruling stated.

The judges blocked use of the map and stayed the candidate qualification deadline with political parties from Friday until Feb. 11 to allow the Legislature the opportunity to enact a remedial plan.

“As the Legislature considers such plans, it should be mindful of the practical reality, based on the ample evidence of intensely racially polarized voting adduced during the preliminary injunction proceedings, that any remedial plan will need to include two districts in which Black voters either comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it,” the judges wrote.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office said the ruling will be appealed.

“The Attorney General’s Office strongly disagrees with the court’s decision and will be appealing in the coming days,” spokesman Mike Lewis wrote in an email.

The Alabama attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to an email late Monday seeking comment on the ruling.

These redistricting maps were finalized during the 2021 special legislative session. The state Senate map is far left, the congressional district map is in the center, and the state House map is on the right.
These redistricting maps were finalized during the 2021 special legislative session. The state Senate map is far left, the congressional district map is in the center, and the state House map is on the right.

Alabama’s seven-member congressional delegation consists of six Republicans elected from heavily white districts and one Democrat elected from the only majority-Black district

The Alabama Legislature last year approved congressional district lines that maintain one majority-Black district. About 26% of Alabama’s population is Black, and some lawmakers argued the state should have a second congressional district with a significant African-American population.

“It’s past time for Alabama to move beyond its sordid history of racial discrimination at the polls, and to listen to and be responsive to the needs and concerns of voters of color. Not ensuring access to the ballot for all of the people and communities in Alabama is holding this state back from realizing its full potential,” Tish Gotell Faulks, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, said in a statement.

 

Key takeaways from the Trump-dominated NATO summit

NATO's summit in the Netherlands on Wednesday has been described as "transformational" and "historic."

Trump administration sues all of Maryland’s federal judges over deportation order

The action lays bare the administration's attempt to exert its will over immigration enforcement, and a growing anger at federal judges who have blocked executive branch actions they see as lawless.

In a first-of-its-kind decision, an AI company wins a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by authors

U.S. District Judge William Alsup's ruling this week, in a case brought by authors Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber and Kirk Wallace Johnson last year, opens a potential pathway for AI companies to train their large language models on copyrighted works without authors' consent — but only if copies of the works were obtained legally.

RFK Jr. says U.S. will stop funding global vaccine group over ‘vaccine safety’ issues

The secretary of health and human services said that funding will be curtailed until Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, takes into account the science of vaccine safety in its campaigns.

Senators question Trump plan to kill federal funds for PBS, NPR and some foreign aid

Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee pushed back against the Trump administration's bid to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting and international aid programs.

Judge orders Trump administration to resume distributing money for EV chargers

Congress designated money for building new EV chargers, but the Trump administration put a freeze on those funds. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering the program to resume.

More Front Page Coverage