Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Sunday that he expects the U.S. Supreme Court to restore the state’s preferred congressional map, stating federal courts have improperly overridden the authority of state lawmakers in the redistricting process.
“We’re encouraged, particularly in light of the Louisiana decision from the Supreme Court a few weeks ago, that Alabama is going to get similar relief,” Marshall said during an interview.
The state’s congressional map has been at the center of a legal battle after a three-judge federal panel ordered Alabama to create what it described as a minority opportunity district. Marshall, a Republican, asserted he disagrees with that interpretation of the Voting Rights Act.
“We’ve had a three-judge panel order Alabama to create what they described as a minority opportunity district,” he stated. “I call that a Democratic district. I don’t think that’s what Section 2 requires.”
Marshall also cited a recent victory before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals involving Alabama’s state Senate map and expressed confidence the Supreme Court will allow Alabama to return to its 2023 congressional map.
“We’re looking forward to the Supreme Court ruling next week and giving Alabama the ability to go back to a 2023 map that would allow for an additional Republican representative in Congress,” he said.
The attorney general questioned whether unelected judges should be able to overturn maps approved by elected legislators.
“The Legislature has the core responsibility of being able to draw those legislative districts,” Marshall noted. “A three-judge panel has overturned that here in Alabama.”
He added that Alabama has followed traditional redistricting principles and should be treated the same as other states that have drawn maps favoring one political party.
“What we’ve seen is that our state and others surrounding us aren’t allowed to do the same things that California and New York and New England are able to do,” Marshall said. “But yet we’ve done it responsibly. We’ve used traditional redistricting principles.”
Marshall stated a favorable ruling would place Alabama “on a similar footing” with other states and preserve the Legislature’s authority to draw congressional districts.
The attorney general also highlighted steps Alabama officials have taken while awaiting the court’s decision, crediting Governor Kay Ivey for being proactive. He noted the state has established a framework to accommodate potential election changes if the map is restored.
Marshall emphasized that a victory before the Supreme Court would help Alabama send another conservative member to Congress.
“If we’re successful at the Supreme Court, we now have in place for Alabama to allow for there to be another conservative voice to be able to help President Donald Trump get his agenda across the finish line,” he said.
