Full Breakdown
Supreme Court Allows Alabama to Use Contested Congressional Map Ahead of 2024 Primary
6/6/2026, 1:52:41 AM
Supreme Court Lifts Injunction on Alabama Congressional Map
On a Tuesday in 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an unsigned order that lifted a district-court injunction, allowing Alabama to use a congressional map with only one Black-opportunity district for the upcoming primary.
Legal Background and Recent Standards
Alabama’s map includes a single Black-opportunity district since the 1990s. Plaintiffs sued in *Allen v. Milligan* (2021); a panel ordered a second district in 2022, affirmed by Court in 2023. *Callais* (2023) raised the VRA proof burden.
Timeline
- 2021: *Allen v. Milligan* filed.
- 2022: Panel orders second district; Supreme Court blocks it under Purcell seven weeks before election.
- 2023: Court affirms panel’s finding.
- Apr 2023: *Callais* decision reshapes VRA burden.
- 2024 (Tue): Supreme Court lifts injunction.
Data on Redistricting and Election Timing
Alabama’s congressional map includes only one Black-opportunity district. The district-court panel deemed the 2024 map discriminatory. Officials say redrawing voters normally takes three to four months, yet mail ballots had been cast for five weeks when the order was issued.
Why It Matters
The decision raises the evidentiary bar for challenging racially discriminatory maps under the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment, presumes legislative good faith, and limits judicial oversight of last-minute redistricting, potentially weakening Black voting power.
Official Statements and Court Reasoning
The unsigned order instructed the district court to lift its injunction and reassess the map under *Callais*. Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the Court had not overruled *Allen*. The order also noted that states may decide whether last-minute changes serve their interests, invoking the Purcell principle.
Dissenting Opinions and Critiques
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. Sotomayor said the order misuses the Purcell principle and creates an impossible administrative burden. Jackson called the approach “Calvinball jurisprudence,” arguing it lacks consistent rules and undermines *Allen*’s protections.
On-the-Ground Report
Alabama’s director of elections testified that reassigning voters to new districts typically requires three to four months, highlighting the logistical difficulty of complying with the Court’s order days before the primary.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The majority says *Callais* does not overturn *Allen*, yet analysts argue the new standard effectively nullifies *Allen*’s protections. The Court’s Purcell rationale lacks a clear deadline, leaving future redistricting timelines uncertain.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have not overruled Allen,” — Justice Samuel Alito, Supreme Court Justice
- “[E]ven heroic efforts likely would not be enough to avoid chaos and confusion,” — Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Samuel Alito, concurring
- “Calvinball has only one rule: There are no fixed rules. We seem to have two: that one, and this Administration always wins.” — Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court Justice
- “While federal courts should not impose changes close to an election, … States are free to decide for themselves whether last-minute changes to an election are in their best interests,” — Supreme Court (unsigned decision)
What’s Next
State officials must finalize precinct boundaries before the June primary, while civil-rights groups signal possible further litigation. The Court’s reasoning is expected to shape redistricting disputes in other Southern states.
