The Alabama Legislature passed a new congressional district map Friday, a compromise version approved by Republicans on a conference committee.
One-fourth of the state’s residents are Black, but only one of the seven Congressional districts has a majority Black population. The district court said that to fix the violation, Alabama needed a second majority Black district “or something quite close to it,” a district where Black voters would have an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.
Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, a member of the conference committee, said the plan does not comply with the court’s order. either an additional majority-Black congressional district, or an additional district in which Black voters otherwise have an opportunity to elect a representative of their choice