Federal Court Orders Redraw of Senate Districts 25 and 26

September 4, 2025 - BIRMINGHAM, AL. - U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco ruled that Alabama's current Senate map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black voting power in the Montgomery area. Specifically, she found that Districts 25 and 26 packed Black voters into one district while carving out white voters into adjacent ones, limiting Black residents' ability to elect candidates of their choice.

What Happens Next?

• Deadline: Judge Manasco ordered Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen to declare by September 4 whether the Legislature intends to redraw the map.

• Special Session: A special legislative session may be called in late September or early October, but Governor Kay Ivey has not yet confirmed it.

• Fallback Plan: If the Legislature fails to act, the court will appoint a Special Master-Richard Allen, with cartographer David Ely and legal counsel Michael Scodro-to redraw the districts. This is the same team that revised Alabama's congressional map in 2023.

Challenges Ahead

Creating two majority-Black districts in Montgomery County is logistically complex. The county's population isn't large enough to support two full districts without pulling in residents from surrounding areas like Hope Hull, Pike Road, or parts of Elmore County-which are predominantly white and Republican. This raises the risk of unintentionally violating the Voting Rights Act again or destabilizing existing Democratic districts.

Broader Context

This marks the second time in four years that a federal court has found Alabama's redistricting maps to be racially discriminatory. Advocates, including the ACLU and SPLC, hailed the ruling as a win for Black voters in Montgomery, though they expressed disappointment that similar concerns in Huntsville were dismissed.

https://www.alabamagazette.com/story/2025/08/20/news/federal-judge-orders-alabama-to-create-new-majority-black-senate-district-in-montgomery/7711.html