Despite Multiple Warnings, Alabama GOP Continues to Try to Disenfranchise Black Voters

[Updated 10/03/2023 at 11:25 am]

Alabama Republican are continuing to fight against giving Black voters equal rights. Despite, multiple court rulings ordering the creation of a second majority-Black district, in line with the state’s Black population, Alabama’s GOP is refusing to back down.

Last Thursday, Alabama Attorney General objected to the three proposed maps drafted by the court-appointed special master, arguing that the creation of the second Black district is unconstitutional. And on Tuesday, the three judge panel has agreed to hear out their objections.

At this point, Alabama’s refusal to give Black voters rights has reached a point of absurdity. (Although their actions can hardly be called out of step with the state’s brutal anti-Black history). And while the modern Supreme Court might not have the best track record on voting rights — even they’re tired of Alabama’s blatant shenanigans. Last week, the court refused to block enforcement a federal court from taking control of the state’s redistricting plan.

The Supreme Court previously ruled that Alabama’s redistricting map violated the rights of Black voters by only creating one majority Black district, despite the state being 27% Black. Alabama flouted that ruling, and was smacked down by the lower courts, who expressed serious

The Supreme Court might not have the best track record on voting rights — but even these conservative justices are tired of Alabama’s blatant shenanigans. On Tuesday, the court refused to block enforcement of a federal court’s decision taking over Alabama’s redistricting plan.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled that Alabama’s redistricting map violated the rights of Black voters by only creating one majority Black district. The court mandated that Alabama had to draft a map with a second majority-Black district “or something quite close to it.” Keep in mind Black Alabamans make up over a quarter of the state’s population.

Naturally, Alabama GOP lawmakers took this as a signal to draw a map with the same number of majority-Black districts. It would be an understatement to say that the new map did not go over well with the judges who heard the case.

“We are not aware of any other case in which a state legislature — faced with a federal court order declaring that its electoral plan unlawfully dilutes minority votes and requiring a plan that provides an additional opportunity district — responded with a plan that the state concedes does not provide that district,” wrote the panel of judges, who will now hear Alabama’s objections to their new map.