A three-judge appellate panel may soon decide the fate of four U.S. House Districts in Alabama’s mid-term election. All sides gathered in Birmingham, with the Secretary of State arguing that a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for legislators in special session to erase the new District 2, currently held by Democrat Shomari Figures. Critics of the state’s actions say Alabama is redrawing voting lines illegally based on race.
The state says the SCOTUS decision in Louisiana versus Callais means race should not be considered in drawing voting maps. Both the state and the plaintiffs argued about how to interpret that ruling. The judges asked attorneys for the state why special elections are needed in four U.S. House districts, including both of the state’s Democratic seats held by African American lawmakers.
Both sides say they’re ready to appeal if the judges rule against them.
Another issue is that the planned August special election for voters in U.S. House districts 1, 2, 6, and 7 is already moving in that direction. The Secretary of State’s office says Supervisors of Elections were already told not to tabulate ballots in those districts.
The Alabama Public Radio spent eight months investigating the issues surrounding the creation of the state’s new District 2 seat, which now appears in peril. That effort was recognized with national awards for excellence in journalism. The incumbent, Democrat Shomari Figures later appeared during an episode to “APR Notebook” to discuss, among other issues, the political and legal uncertainty of the voting map that put him into office.
