Alabama Governor Requests Special Session to Reschedule Midterm Primaries
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey convened lawmakers on Friday to request a rescheduling of the state’s midterm primaries. The move aims to provide lawmakers with additional time to reinstate congressional maps previously invalidated by the courts, in light of this week’s pivotal Supreme Court ruling that has altered the parameters of race-related redistricting.
Current Election Context and Legal Precedents
The elections are currently slated for May 19, utilizing a court-ordered map that includes two congressional districts where Black voters have a greater chance of electing representatives that align with their interests. This arrangement followed a redistricting lawsuit filed earlier in the decade. However, in the wake of Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling, which permits Alabama to revert to an older map featuring only one majority-Black district, Ivey is advocating for a change in the election schedule.
Governor’s Statements on Legislative Action
In a statement on Friday afternoon, Ivey emphasized, “By calling the Legislature into a special session, we will ensure that Alabama is prepared in the event that the courts act quickly enough to allow Alabama’s previously drawn Congressional and State Senate maps to be used during this election cycle.”
Implications of the Supreme Court Ruling
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court deemed Louisiana’s congressional map unconstitutional, a decision that significantly undermines the racial gerrymandering protections set forth by Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. This ruling is anticipated to trigger numerous new maps next year and an ongoing mid-decade redistricting effort that gained momentum nationwide last year.
Legal Responses to Changes in Redistricting
In response to the recent Supreme Court decision, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed an emergency motion seeking a swift response from the court regarding Alabama’s redistricting issues. This urgency reflects the broader changes affecting electoral maps across the Southern states.
Regional Political Reactions
Following Alabama’s lead, Republican leaders in other Southern states are urging their governors to delay primaries and adjust their congressional maps accordingly. Louisiana has already taken action; Governor Jeff Landry halted the state’s ongoing primary election to allow for a map revision. Voting rights organizations have since filed a lawsuit to maintain the previously planned primary schedule.
Potential Actions in South Carolina and Georgia
In South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster hinted that his state might soon follow suit. He stated, “Given the court’s latest ruling on the Voting Rights Act, it is appropriate for the General Assembly to ensure that South Carolina’s congressional map still complies with all requirements of federal law and the U.S. Constitution.” South Carolina’s primary election is set for June 9, and the legislature is currently in session.
Conversely, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that he intends to proceed with the state’s primary, scheduled for later this month, without making any changes to the electoral map. “Voting has already begun for the 2026 election,” Kemp commented to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, asserting that while the Supreme Court’s decision imposes a requirement for Georgia to revise its electoral maps by the 2028 election cycle, immediate changes are not his plan.
