The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 29, 2026
There’s another showdown between the courts and the State of Alabama over congressional district maps, and it’s likely headed – you guessed it – back to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed in Allen v. Milligan that the Alabama legislature intentionally discriminated against African American voters when drawing its congressional map. The high court returned it to the lower courts, which, after Alabama refused to create a second majority-minority district, ordered one from an independent special master.
Fast forward to April’s Callais decision, which struck down use of race as a factor in redistricting, neutralizing majority-minority districts under the Voting Rights Act’s Section 2. May 8th, Alabama appealed to the high court to restore the legislature-drawn map for the 2026 midterms. May 11th, the justices stayed the special master’s map in light of Callais, sending the case back to the same three-judge federal panel which found intentional discrimination in 2023.
In a 110-page decision May 26th, the panel once again found the legislature’s map discriminatory. QUOTE, “ Our re-examination in light of Callais yields the same conclusion.” It ordered the special master’s map be used for the midterms.
May 27th, the State of Alabama appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. We’ll keep you updated. Find the panel’s decision at
AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Alabama Reflector – Federal judges block Alabama’s use of 2023 congressional map
Alabama Reflector – Alabama appeals congressional map ruling to US Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court – State of Alabama Application to Restore 2003 Congressional Map
U.S. District Court (via ACLU) – Order Temporarily Barring Alabama from Using 2003 Congressional Map
U.S. Supreme Court – Alabama’s Appeal of District Court’s Order
SCOTUSBlog – Alabama urges Supreme Court to allow for use of congressional map struck by lower court as racially discriminatory
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – (May 8) U.S. Supreme Court Stays Lower Court Order Which Created Another Alabama Majority-Black Voting District – An Order It Previously Upheld
American Democracy Minute – (2023) Federal Appeals Court Slams Alabama Legislature for Defying U.S. Supreme Court’s Milligan Ruling and Strikes Down Revised Maps
Groups Taking Action:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU, Greater Birmingham Ministries
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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