The Supreme Court on June 3, 2026 cleared the way for Alabama to use a congressional map containing one majority-Black district out of seven, in a state where Black residents make up roughly 27% of the population.
In Allen v. Milligan (2023), the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Alabama's prior map likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and ordered a second majority-Black or near-majority-Black district.
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits voting practices that result in discrimination based on race, color, or membership in a language minority group.
Supporters of majority-minority districts argue they are necessary to give Black voters an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice; opponents argue race-based districting is itself a form of racial classification the Constitution disfavors.
Control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the November 2026 midterms is expected to turn on a small number of seats, with redistricting outcomes in several Southern states among the contested factors.