Supreme court approves Alabama map that erases majority-Black district

Court decision that represents win for Republicans comes after lengthy battle over state’s congressional map

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Alabama can use a redrawn congressional map that eliminates one of the state’s two majority-Black districts in this year’s midterm elections, the US supreme court ruled in a 6-3 decision on Tuesday, another major blow to Black voters and a win for Republicans.

The court’s emergency ruling is the most consequential decision it had issued since its landmark ruling in late April that struck down a critical provision of the Voting Rights Act.

In that case, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/29/supreme-court-louisiana-congressional-map-case-ruling">Louisiana v Callais, the court’s majority made it nearly impossible to win Voting Rights Act claims, saying that plaintiffs had to prove intentional discrimination.

But on 26 May, a three-judge panel said the map Alabama wants to use for this year’s midterm was https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/26/alabama-new-congressional-map-struck-down">enacted with discriminatory intent.