Redistricting Special Session Sparks Support And Anger
The Alabama Legislature returns to Montgomery this afternoon in a special session to deal with redrawing the state's congressional districts. After at first saying she would not call an expensive special session to follow the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in a Louisiana case stating race cannot be a deciding factor in drawing voting district maps, Ivey changed her mind and issued a proclamation ordering today's 4:00pm convening.
Alabama is currently operating under a Federal Court Ordered Map. That court order currently enjoins Alabama from drawing new maps until after the next census in 2030. But state officials asked the Supreme Court last Thursday to quickly review pending court filings in hopes of updating maps more quickly.
Opinions on the remapping are split down party lines. The West Alabama House and Senate Delegation is divided between 10 Republicans and six Democrats.
The Republican View
Governor Ivey said she expects lawmakers “to address this call in fast order and be completed within five days.”
“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. If the court-ordered injunction is lifted, Alabama would revert to the maps drawn by the Legislature for congressional districts in 2023 and state senate districts in 2021.
“During this special session, I have called on the Legislature to address legislation to provide for a special primary election for electing members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Alabama State Senate in districts whose boundary lines are altered by court action
Republican Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth shared a map on X Wednesday that showed Alabama with seven redrawn, Republican districts.
State capital observers claim Ivey buckled to pressure from Attorney General Steve Marshall, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville and others. Marshall made it plain what he wants the session to accomplish. "Alabama is a conservative state and they deserve conservative representation," he said in a statement from the Attorney General's Office. "And I'm gonna do everything in my power to give the legislature an opportunity to draw seven congressional Republican districts."
“Alabama must take action to make sure our maps accurately reflect the politics and values of Alabamians and not the DNC (Democratic National Committee),” Sen. Tuberville said in a statement to Yellowhammer News on Thursday afternoon.
If Marshall achieves his goal that would eliminate Alabama's two majority minority house districts that are currently held by Democrats Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures. Sewell has represented the 7th Congressional District in West Alabama since she was elected as the first black member of the Alabama Congressional Delegation in November 2010, she assumed the office on January 3, 2011.
The Democrat View
Sewell has strongly condemned Ivey’s decision to call a special session, calling it a "corrupt move" to dilute the voting power of Black Alabamians. "Despite Black voters making up nearly one-third of Alabama’s electorate," Sewell said in a press release, "Republican state leaders are desperate to revert us back to a map that silences our voices, dilutes our power, and denies us a fair seat at the table.
Figures represents the recreated 2nd Congressional District in South Alabama, which was formed by a 2023 Federal court order to give Alabama a second majority black district. He assumed office on January 3 of last year with his first term scheduled to end on January 3 next year.
Figures, who formally served in the state legislature reacted the special session call, indicating he "fully expected" the move by Republicans, "... to challenge current maps despite previous court orders, calling it a continued effort to dismantle fair representation."
Protestors from various union and civil rights organizations are planning to show up at the statehouse this afternoon to register their disapproval.
Democrat Gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones weighed in on the special session calling it a potential "circus" because of confusion that could result. "Parties are going to have to qualify candidates all over again. You're going to have to have a period of time, possibly a runoff in some of those districts. We don't know."
Jones also questions how the votes of people who have already cast absentee ballots will be handled. He doesn't believe making a change now can meet the timing required by statutes before the General Election in November.
The former Alabama U.S. Senator also described the action as a "voter suppression" effort that serves as an "affront to those who have fought so hard for voting rights in Alabama and across America".
Other Red States Also Reacting
Florida and Texas have already changed their maps and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is calling lawmakers from the Volunteer State back into session in an effort to increase the GOP's already super majority in that state.
More From Tuscaloosa Thread
