Redistricting Battle Heats Up In Alabama And Nationwide
West Alabama Democratic Congresswoman Terri Sewell is continuing her offensive against yesterday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on congressional districting. The 6-3 landmark decision struck down Louisiana's congressional map, with the conservative majority stating the map was unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.
Sewell, other Democrats and voting rights leaders fear the court's decision will make it more difficult to challenge redistricting maps. "The attacks on our voting rights are coming from every angle. Now more than ever, communities across the nation must mobilize and vote like we've never voted before," she told reporters.
The new interpretation of the law only outlaws difficult to prove intentional discrimination in redistricting, not the previous having the effect of discrimination against minority voters.
The ruling did not dissolve the 1965 Voting Rights Act that was won by marchers beaten by Alabama State Troopers as they crossed Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge, but it did seriously dilute it.
Yesterday Rep. Sewell joined other Democrats at a press conference to condemn the court's action and to vow to pass the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Act. The bill sponsored by Sewell would establish new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain federal preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect.
Appearing on Wednesday's "The Arena" broadcast on CNN, Sewell claimed Republicans are attempting to steal this year's elections. "I personally think that we, as Democrats, can't sit back. We have to fight back. So, if blue states - I mean red states are going to redraw their maps, I think Democrats have need to think about redrawing their maps." she told host Kasie Hunt. "I know it's a race to the bottom, but it's a - it's to the bottom, and you're fighting fire with fire. And I think it's important that we win this fight, because it's about making sure the Republicans don't steal the next election. And that's exactly what they are doing."
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who filed a brief with the Supreme Court in support of Louisiana’s original map, has already vowed, "We will act as quickly as possible to apply this ruling to Alabama's redistricting efforts and ensure that our congressional maps reflect the will of the people, not a racial quota system the Constitution forbids"
Gov. Ivey released a statement in response to demands by Republicans to call a special legislative session to act on the SCOTUS opinion. "While I am encouraged by this decision, it does not yet resolve our ongoing redistricting fight over Alabama's congressional map," Ivey said. "Alabama is currently under a court order prohibiting the use of new congressional districts until after the 2030 census. While we are not in position to have a special session at this time, I hope in light of this new decision, the court is favorable to Alabama."
Meanwhile, Sewell told the CNN audience, "It's pretty scary times to live in that we don't actually protect the rights of protected classes on race, but we allow partisan gerrymandering, and that's kind of where we are."
U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures benefitted from the federal court redrawing Alabama's current map, creating a second majority minority district in the state. He notes that while his district is protected by court order for now, the high court's decision will have significant national implications.
"It has made proving future racial discrimination in redistricting cases significantly tougher." Figures said in a press release. It will lead to states, primarily in the South, launching immediate efforts to redraw districts in ways that will dilute the impact of Black voters."
It is unclear if Republican dominated legislatures can redraw district maps in time to have impact on the November General Election.
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