Federal judges on Tuesday briefly blocked Alabama’s plan to make use of a new congressional map that could give Republicans a bonus in a key House race within the midterm elections.
A 3-judge panel within the state’s long-running redistricting case issued the preliminary injunction that prevents the state, not less than for now, from switching maps. It requires the state to proceed utilizing the identical court-ordered districts beneath which congressional representatives have been elected in 2024.
Lawyers representing Black voters within the state’s prolonged redistricting case had sought the preliminary injunction, arguing the identical panel in 2023 discovered the state map was deliberately discriminatory towards Black voters. They additionally argued Alabama was creating chaos by attempting to alter traces in the midst of an election yr.
The ruling was a defeat for state Republicans who need to use a map for the November midterms that will give the GOP an opportunity to reclaim the seat now held by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures. However, the state could enchantment the ruling to the US Supreme Court.
This is a creating story and will likely be up to date.