Alabama Democrats, Rep. Sewell, and NRF Praise Federal Court for Blocking State's 2023 Congressional Map

May 26, 2026 - MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama's redistricting battle took another major turn Tuesday as a three‑judge federal panel upheld an injunction preventing the state from using its 2023 congressional map-one previously found to be intentionally discriminatory against Black voters. The ruling keeps in place the court‑drawn map with two Black opportunity districts for the 2026 election cycle while litigation continues.

The decision drew strong praise from Alabama House Democrats, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, and the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF), all of whom framed the ruling as a significant victory for voting rights and fair representation.

House Democrats: "A victory for fair Black representation-this cycle"

The Alabama House Democratic Caucus applauded the ruling, highlighting the court's unusually forceful language rejecting the state's attempt to revive its invalidated map.

The panel wrote, "We reject in the strongest possible terms the State's attempt to finish its intentional decision to dilute minority votes with a veneer of legislative regularity."

House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels said the decision confirms what repeated hearings and appeals have already shown.

"Yet again, the Court, after extensive hearings, appeals, and evidence-gathering, found that Alabama was intentionally discriminating against Black voters," Daniels said. "But let's be perfectly clear, this is a victory for fair Black representation only for this election cycle and they have made their intentions quite clear. This fight is far from over."

Daniels urged voters to treat the ruling as a call to action.

"Let this moment be a powerful call to action to ensure that we do everything possible to get out the vote and drive historic turnout at the polls. Like I've said, 'If your vote didn't matter, they wouldn't be trying so hard to take it from you.'"

Rep. Terri Sewell: "A powerful rebuke of efforts to silence Black voters"

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL‑07) also praised the ruling, calling it a decisive rejection of Alabama's attempt to reinstate a map she said was designed to dilute Black political power.

"This decision is a victory for fair representation and a powerful rebuke of Alabama's continued efforts to silence Black voters," Sewell said. "Once again, a federal court confirmed what we have said all along: Alabama's 2023 congressional map was intentionally designed to discriminate against Black voters and dilute our political power."

Sewell criticized state leaders for defying court orders and the Voting Rights Act.

"When Alabama Republicans passed the 2023 congressional map, they defied federal court orders, the Constitution, and the Voting Rights Act in a desperate attempt to preserve their grip on power," she said. "Today, the court made clear that those tactics will not stand."

While acknowledging the legal fight is ongoing, Sewell said the ruling sends a clear message: "Black voters in Alabama cannot and will not be silenced."

NRF: "Justice prevailed today"

The National Redistricting Foundation-whose litigation team initiated Allen v. Milligan, the landmark case that struck down Alabama's 2021 map-also celebrated the ruling.

"Justice prevailed today; Alabama must use its 2023 court-adopted map-a map with two Black opportunity districts-in this year's elections," said NRF Executive Director Marina Jenkins.

Jenkins warned that Alabama is not alone in attempting to use the Supreme Court's Callais decision to justify new gerrymanders.

"Make no mistake, the fight for justice is far from over in states across the country where politicians are enacting gerrymanders on top of gerrymanders to erase equal representation for communities of color," she said. "Politicians aiming to enact new gerrymanders in South Carolina, Georgia, and elsewhere should take note."

Background: A fast‑moving legal battle

The ruling is the latest development in a complex sequence of court actions:

In Allen v. Milligan, the Supreme Court upheld Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and required Alabama to draw two Black opportunity districts.

Alabama instead enacted a map with only one such district, prompting the court to impose a racially gerrymandered court appointed special‑master‑drawn map for 2024. That resulted in the election of Shomari Figures - a Black Democrat - to Congress which was the outcome that the court forced on the state.

After the Supreme Court's Callais decision narrowed Section 2, Alabama attempted to cancel ongoing primaries and reinstate its previously invalidated map.

NRF‑supported plaintiffs sought emergency relief to prevent the state from reverting to the 2023 map.

The federal panel's new ruling blocks that attempt and orders the state to use the court‑drawn map for the 2026 midterms.

The state of Alabama is filing an appeal of the three-judge panel decision with the U.S. Supreme Court.