Supreme Court Clears Path for Alabama Map as Tennessee Sued Over Bias

The high court’s unexplained order effectively permits Alabama to maintain only one majority-Black district out of seven, despite the state’s population being roughly 26% African American. This ruling marks a sharp reversal from the court's stance just three years ago in Allen v. Milligan, where justices ordered the state to create a second Black-opportunity district. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in her dissent, noted that the court had previously determined Alabama violated the 14th Amendment through intentional discrimination, a finding she argued remains untouched by recent precedent.

Simultaneously, the ACLU and a coalition of community groups filed a federal lawsuit in Tennessee challenging a map signed by Republican Governor Bill Lee. The new legislation divides Memphis and Shelby County across three majority-white districts, effectively neutralizing the political influence of Black voters. Miriar Nemeth, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee, characterized the move as textbook First Amendment retaliation designed to suppress political expression. These developments highlight a deepening national conflict over electoral maps, with both red and blue states increasingly engaging in mid-decade redistricting battles as the November midterms approach.