MONTGOMERY-Friday, July 21, Alabama refused to create a second majority-Black congressional district. This bill passage (Bill 5) defied a recent court order from the U.S. Supreme Court which ordered Alabama to give minority voters a greater voice.
Republican -majority lawmakers in the House and Senate passed a plan that would increase the percentage of Black voters
from 31% to 40% in Alabama District 2. The map was a compromise between plans that had percentages of 42% and 38% for the southeast Alabama district. GOP Gov. Kay Ivey quickly signed it. This move (one majority-Black district out of seven in a state that is 27% Black ) will likely violate the federal Voting Rights Act.
The 140-seat Alabama Legislature has 33 Black lawmakers. All but one are Democrats.
Governor Kay Ivey has signed Senate Bill 5, the redistricting map. The governor also issued the following statement:
“Following the U.S. Supreme Court order, I called the Alabama Legislature into a special session to readdress our congressional map. The Legislature knows our state, our people and our districts better than the federal courts or activist groups, and I am pleased that they answered the call, remained focused and produced new districts ahead of the court deadline.” – Governor Kay Ivey
