The panel of judges has ruled that Alabama’s congressional map likely will result in a Democratic gain, as it redraws districts to add a seventh congressional seat. The judges, who were appointed by the Supreme Court, ruled that the new map includes three districts with strong Democratic tendencies, and three with a more even split between Democratic and Republican voters. The new seventh district appears to favor the Democratic party. The ruling is a major victory for voting rights advocates who argued that the redistricting plan proposed by the Republican-controlled state legislature was unconstitutional. The court found that the original plan gave Republicans an undue advantage, and that it was crafted with the intent of preserving the Republican Party’s control over the state’s congressional delegation. While the ruling is a major win for Democrats, it is not a blanket victory as the map does not satisfy the exacting standards laid out by the Supreme Court, and could still face legal challenges.
Court picks Alabama congressional map likely to mean Democratic gain
