Federal Court releases three possible Senate redistricting maps that would likely give Democrats an additional Senate seat

October 28, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL - A federal court has released three proposed Alabama Senate redistricting maps to address Voting Rights Act violations in Montgomery-area districts, potentially reshaping political representation ahead of the 2026 elections.

In a major development for Alabama's legislative landscape, a federal court has unveiled three proposed redistricting maps for the state Senate following a ruling that found the current district boundaries violated Section 2 of the constitutionally dubious Voting Rights Act of 1965. The court released these maps after Governor Kay Ivey (R) refused to call a special session to ask the legislature to redraw the map.

The move marks a critical step in resolving a legal battle over racial representation in Montgomery-area districts and would likely lead to the creation of an additional Democratic-leaning seat in the 2026 election cycle.

Background: Voting Rights Act Violation

The redistricting dispute centers on Senate Districts 25 and 26, currently represented by Sen. Will Barfoot (R–Pike Road) and Sen. Kirk Hatcher (D–Montgomery), respectively. In August 2025, U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco ruled that the state's 2021 Senate map diluted Black voting power in violation of federal law by packing Black voters in Hatcher's district. The court claimed that the configuration of these districts failed to provide fair representation for Black voters in the Montgomery region, where they make up a significant portion of the population. Manasco would fix this supposed discrepancy by depriving thousands of White voters with effective representation.

Governor Kay Ivey declined to call a special legislative session to redraw the map, citing ongoing litigation in a similar Louisiana case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

As a result, Judge Manasco appointed Richard Allen-a special master who previously helped redraw Alabama's congressional districts-to develop remedial plans for the Senate map.

The Three Proposed Maps

On October 25, 2025, Allen submitted three remedial plans for the court's consideration. Each plan aims to correct the Voting Rights Act violation while adhering to constitutional requirements, population equality, and traditional redistricting principles.

• Remedial Plan 1: This map reallocates South Montgomery from District 26 to District 25 and extends District 26 northward into Elmore County. It increases the Black voting-age population in District 25 from 29% to 51.6%, while reducing it in District 26 from 66.1% to 49.7%. District 30's Black voting-age population drops from 23.6% to 20%.

• Remedial Plan 2: Considered by Allen to offer a stronger remedy, this plan fully reallocates the southern portion of District 26 to District 25 and makes more modest changes to District 30. It maintains a higher concentration of Black voters in District 26, potentially preserving its status as a majority-Black district.

• Remedial Plan 3: Details of this plan have not been publicly emphasized, but it reportedly offers a middle-ground approach between Plans 1 and 2. All three maps comply with the one-person, one-vote principle and constitutional standards.

Judge Manasco is expected to select one of the three maps for implementation ahead of candidate qualifying in January 2026.

The state hopes that the Supreme Court will invalidate more of the extremely controversial Voting Rights Act of 1965 when it decides the Louisiana Congressional redistricting case. The state is expected to appeal Judge Manasxo's order and ask a higher court to issue a stay, as occurred in a recent Jefferson County Commission redistricting case.

If Manasco's ruling stands, the practical effect of adopting one of the remedial maps would almost certainly be the creation of an additional Democratic-leaning Senate district in Alabama. This would change the breadown of the Senate from 27 Republicans to 8 Democrats to 26 Republicans to 9 Democrats – assuming no other changes next November.

Republicans currently hold a supermajority in both legislative chambers.

Sen. Kirk Hatcher, whose district is at the center of the case, has not publicly commented on the proposed maps. However, Democratic leaders have expressed cautious optimism that the court's action will help them pick up seats in future elections.

Broader Redistricting Context

Alabama's redistricting battles are part of a broader national trend following the 2020 census. Federal courts have increasingly scrutinized state maps for racial and partisan gerrymandering. In 2023, Alabama was ordered to redraw its congressional map to include a second majority-Black district, a decision that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The current Senate redistricting case echoes similar legal challenges in Louisiana, Georgia, and North Carolina, where courts are weighing the balance between state legislative authority and federal protections for minority voters. The outcome of Alabama's case could influence future litigation and legislative strategies across the South.

What Comes Next

Judge Manasco is expected to issue a final ruling on which map will be adopted in the coming weeks. Candidate qualifying for the 2026 elections begins in January, meaning the new map must be finalized soon to avoid delays or confusion.

If the court's ruling stands, Democrats would likely pick up the District currently held by Republican Will Barfoot. It does little to improve Democratic chances elsewhere – barring more interference from the federal courts.

(Brandon Moseley contributed to this report.)