Full Breakdown
Alabama Calls Special Session to Redraw Congressional Maps After Supreme Court Ruling
5/2/2026, 10:02:09 AM
Background & Context
On April 29 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in *Louisiana v. Callais*, striking down a Louisiana majority-Black congressional district and narrowing the scope of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The ruling holds that race and political affiliation cannot be treated as interchangeable in redistricting challenges. The decision follows the Court’s 2023 ruling in *Allen v. Milligan*, which required Alabama to use a map that created a second majority-Black district. Alabama remains under a federal injunction that bars the state from adopting new congressional maps until after the 2030 census.
Timeline of Key Developments
- 2023 – Federal court orders Alabama to use a map with a Black-majority district.
- 2024 – Election under the court-ordered map; Democrat Shomari Figures wins the 2nd district.
- April 29 2026 – Supreme Court decides *Louisiana v. Callais*.
- April 30 2026 – Attorney General Steve Marshall and Secretary of State Wes Allen file emergency motions at the Supreme Court seeking to lift the injunctions.
- May 1 2026 – Governor Kay Ivey announces a special legislative session, reversing an earlier statement that the state was “not in position” to convene.
- May 4 2026 (4 p.m.) – Special session scheduled to begin; legislators are asked to act within five days.
- May 19 2026 – State primary election currently scheduled; absentee ballots have already been mailed.
Core Event: Special Session Called
Governor Kay Ivey issued a proclamation calling the Alabama Legislature into a special session beginning May 4. The session’s agenda includes legislation to provide for a special primary election if court-ordered district lines are altered and to consider adopting the 2023 legislature-drawn congressional map and the 2021 state-senate map, should the Supreme Court lift the existing injunctions.
Key Figures & Groups
- Kay Ivey, Republican Governor of Alabama.
- Steve Marshall, Republican Attorney General, lead filer of emergency motions.
- Wes Allen, Republican Secretary of State, co-filer of the motions.
- Shomari Figures and Terri Sewell, Democratic U.S. Representatives from the court-ordered districts.
- Nathaniel Ledbetter (House Speaker) and Garlan Gudger (Senate President Pro Tempore), Republican legislative leaders supporting the session.
- Voting-rights groups representing Black voters, who have filed opposition briefs.
Data & Statistics
- Alabama’s seven congressional seats are currently held by five Republicans and two Democrats.
- The court-ordered map includes a district with a 48.7 % Black voting-age population.
- The Supreme Court’s *Callais* decision was 6-3.
- The special session is expected to be completed within five days.
Why It Matters
If the injunction is lifted and the legislature’s 2023 map is adopted, the second majority-Black district could be eliminated, potentially giving Republicans all seven seats. The outcome would affect the partisan balance of the U.S. House and set a precedent for other Southern states navigating the post-*Callais* legal landscape.
Official Statements & Responses
Governor Ivey said the session “ensures Alabama is prepared should the courts act quickly enough to allow previously drawn maps to be used.” Attorney General Marshall called the Supreme Court ruling “a watershed moment” and pledged to act swiftly. House Speaker Ledbetter and Senate President Gudger expressed support, emphasizing the need for a “contingency plan.”
Criticism & Opposition
Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures warned that the move would “erase the opportunity for Black voters to elect a candidate of their choice.” Voting-rights advocates filed a brief urging the Court to reject Alabama’s request, arguing that changing districts mid-election would create “chaos” and undermine minority representation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Initial reports indicated Ivey was not ready to call a special session; later statements show she reversed course within 24 hours. Sources differ on whether the session’s primary purpose is to prepare for a possible map change or to actually redraw the maps. The Supreme Court’s timeline for ruling on the emergency motions remains unspecified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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.” — Kay Ivey, Governor
- “The Supreme Court has spoken. States cannot be forced to gerrymander by race,” — Steve Marshall, Attorney General
- “the Alabama of today is not the Alabama of the past.” — Kay Ivey, Governor
- “It appears that Republicans won’t be satisfied until they hold every elected local, state, and federal office and take them by any means necessary.” — Rep. Juandalynn Givan, Democrat
- “I hope [elected leaders] keep in mind that our state population is 27 percent Black and so having these two seats is necessary for us to have fair representation,” — Shalela Dowdy, voting-rights advocate
What’s Next
The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the emergency motions in the coming weeks. If the injunction is lifted before the May 19 primary, the Legislature may adopt the 2023 map and schedule a special primary. Otherwise, the existing court-ordered map will remain for the 2026 election cycle. State officials have indicated they will monitor the Court’s decision closely and act accordingly.
