State lawmakers are being summoned to revise district boundaries following a major legal shift affecting prior court-ordered maps.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Kay Ivey has ordered a special legislative session beginning May 4, directing lawmakers to return to Montgomery to address congressional redistricting in the wake of a recent Supreme Court decision impacting how maps are drawn.
In a formal proclamation issued Friday, Ivey stated that the session would include consideration of legislation related to primary elections as well as revisions to district lines previously altered through court rulings, injunctions, and judicial directives.
Regarding our own pending redistricting litigation, I remain hopeful Alabama will receive a favorable outcome from the U.S. Supreme Court, which is why I am now calling a special session of the Alabama Legislature. #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/yQY6qdQjSq
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) May 1, 2026
The move follows a shift in the legal framework governing redistricting after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the use of race as a primary factor in determining district boundaries. The decision affects maps that had been subject to years of litigation and federal oversight.
Alabama has been at the center of prolonged disputes over its congressional districts. Earlier rulings by federal courts required the state to redraw its maps to include an additional district with a significant Black voting-age population, citing concerns under the Voting Rights Act. Lawmakers subsequently adopted revised maps, which were again challenged and modified under judicial supervision.
According to reporting from AOL, Steve Marshall has filed motions in multiple pending cases that currently prevent the use of maps approved by the Legislature in 2023.
In a statement accompanying the session announcement, Ivey said, “By calling the Legislature into a special session, I am ensuring Alabama is prepared should the courts act quickly enough to allow Alabama’s previously drawn congressional and state senate maps to be used during this election cycle.” She added that if existing injunctions are lifted, the state would revert to legislative maps adopted in 2023 for congressional districts and 2021 for state senate districts.
Previous court actions reshaped Alabama’s congressional map, including adjustments to District 2 that increased its Black voting-age population to nearly half. Those changes followed findings by a three-judge federal panel that earlier maps likely violated federal law.
The upcoming session is expected to address how Alabama proceeds under the updated legal standard while ongoing litigation continues to influence which maps may ultimately be used in future elections.
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