Federal judges review Alabama’s new congressional map, lack of 2nd majority-Black district

The three-judge panel, which blocked the use of the state’s old map last year, will decide whether to let Alabama’s new districts go forward or step in and draw new congressional districts for the state., in a surprise June decision, upheld the panel’s earlier finding that the state’s then-map - which had one Black-majority district out of seven in a state where more than one in four residents is Black - likely violated the federal Voting Rights Act.

Abha Khanna, an attorney representing one group of plaintiffs in the case, said Alabama chose “defiance over compliance.” Alabama Republicans, who have been reluctant to create a Democratic-leaning district, boosted the percentage of Black voters in the majority-white 2nd Congressional District, now represented by Republican Rep. Barry Moore, from about 30% to 39.9%.

A lawyer for the state accused plaintiffs of seeking a “racial gerrymander” over traditional guidelines for drawing districts, such as keeping districts compact and keeping communities of interest together.

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Federal judges question Alabama’s new congressional map, lack of 2nd majority-Black districtA panel of federal judges on Monday began a review Alabama’s redrawn congressional map, which opponents argue blatantly defies the court’s mandate to create a second district where Black voters have an opportunity to influence the outcome of an election.
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