The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 4, 2026
May 26th, a federal district court ruled for the second time that the State of Alabama’s 2023 congressional district map was intentionally discriminatory. It said “Our re-examination in light of Callais yields the same conclusion.” June 2nd, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned that decision.
Alabama sought to use the discriminatory map after the same three-judge panel struck it down in 2023, and mandated maps from a special master. That was after Alabama refused to create a majority-minority district to comply with Section 2 of Voting Rights Act.
In an unsigned order, the high court said the district court had not followed its instructions, had not considered the updated standard to prove discrimination, and did not, QUOTE, “heed the presumption of legislative good faith,” UNQUOTE. Notably, in addition to refusing to create a majority-minority district, the state spent years having its election law pre-cleared by the U.S. Justice Department for discriminatory voting practices.
Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissented, with Sotomayor writing, “Yet just as Alabama doubled down on racial discrimination, the Court today doubles down on chaos. Because I choose to defend the rule of law and the right of all Alabamians to participate equally in democracy, I respectfully dissent.”
We’ve linked the majority’s opinion, Sotomayor’s scathing dissent, and our past reports on the Milligan case at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
The Tale of Two Views of Intentional Racial Discrimination
U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2, 2026 Opinion
U.S. District Court’s Opinion, May 26, 2026
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
U.S. Supreme Court – Order Staying Lower Court’s Order and Allowing Alabama to Use the 2023 Map
U.S. District Court (via ACLU) – Order Temporarily Barring Alabama from Using 2003 Congressional Map
SCOTUSBlog – Supreme Court permits Alabama to use congressional map struck by lower court as racially discriminatory
Alabama Reflector – Supreme Court allows Alabama to use 2023 congressional map in August special primary
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – Federal Court Panel Rejects Alabama Congressional Map -Again- as Intentional Discrimination. State Officials Appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
American Democracy Minute – (2025) Fallout Continues from 2023 SCOTUS ‘Milligan’ Decision, as the Alabama Legislature Faces Possible Return of Preclearance Requirements
American Democracy Minute – (2025) For the First Time in American History, Alabama Has 2 Black Members Congress, Thanks to the Protections of the VRA. It Wasn’t Easy.
Groups Taking Action:
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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