The high court’s recent ruling in Louisiana v. Calais has ignited a redistricting firestorm across the South, with Alabama lawmakers now eyeing maps that could eliminate or drastically alter a second Black-majority district mandated by previous court orders. The decision, which found that Louisiana’s creation of a Black-majority district relied too heavily on race, has been hailed by conservatives as a check on unconstitutional gerrymandering but decried by voting rights advocates as a setback for minority voters.

Background of the Battle

This latest chapter stems from the Supreme Court’s 2023 Allen v. Milligan ruling, a surprising 5-4 victory for Black voters who argued Alabama’s 2021 congressional map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). Black Alabamians comprise about 27% of the voting-age population but were confined to just one majority-Black district out of seven—a practice known as “packing and cracking.” The court affirmed lower courts’ orders for Alabama to create a second district where Black voters could elect candidates of their choice.

Federal judges twice ruled against the state, blocking a 2023 legislative map for similarly diluting Black voting power. They imposed a court-drawn map that facilitated the election of Democrat Shomari Figures to Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District last year. Undeterred, Alabama appealed, and the recent Supreme Court shift has given Republicans fresh momentum.

Swift Political Response

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who is running for U.S. Senate, has urged the Supreme Court to overturn prior federal rulings requiring two Black-opportunity districts. “The map should better reflect the state’s Republican leanings,” Marshall argued, aligning with a broader GOP push post-ruling.

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen filed an emergency motion to expedite the state’s redistricting case, aiming to enact new maps that “reflect the will of the people.” State House Majority Whip James Lomax echoed this, predicting maps that “lean more heavily to the right.” Special sessions could convene imminently, with residents and leaders voicing fierce reactions.

The ripple effects extend beyond Alabama. Tennessee may redraw maps as early as this week, while Louisiana is poised to act soon. These states, like Alabama, are leveraging the ruling to prioritize partisan balance over racial considerations in redistricting.

Stakes for the Primary and Beyond

With the May 19 primary looming, the turmoil threatens to “turn the race upside down,” as one analyst put it. Figures’ district could be dismantled, consolidating Republican strongholds and diminishing Democratic chances in a state that hasn’t sent more than one Democrat to Congress since 1994.

“This ruling is a huge setback for Black Alabamians and the Voting Rights Act,” said Davin Rosborough, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. “Alabama’s Legislature must not continue its legacy of drawing illegal districts that disenfranchise voters.”

Supporters counter that the maps will prevent race-based gerrymandering. “States can now redraw boundaries with less accounting for race,” noted CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe, reporting from Montgomery.

Legal and Historical Context

The VRA, landmark legislation from 1965, has faced erosion by the conservative Supreme Court majority—in 2013’s Shelby County v. Holder and 2021 cases. Yet Allen v. Milligan bucked the trend, affirming race’s role in remedying dilution without mandating it as the predominant factor. The new ruling refines this: districts can’t be drawn primarily on racial lines without traditional districting criteria.

Civil rights groups like the ACLU celebrate past wins but warn of reversals. “The court rejected the idea that considering race to detect discrimination is inappropriate,” Rosborough added. Federal judges have scheduled hearings on reinstating VRA preclearance for Alabama, a provision requiring federal approval for voting changes.

Public and Political Divide

Reactions are polarized. Residents in the historic Black Belt—cracked across districts—fear weakened influence. Republicans, controlling the legislature, see an opportunity to align maps with Alabama’s GOP dominance (Trump won by 25 points in 2024).

As appeals climb to the Supreme Court, the nation watches. A reversal could reshape Southern congressional delegations, testing the VRA’s endurance amid partisan battles.

Alabama’s saga underscores America’s ongoing struggle over fair representation, where demographics, law, and politics collide.