Alabama Governor Signs Bills for Special Primaries

On Friday, Alabama’s Republican Governor, Kay Ivey, approved a bill mandating special primaries for certain U.S. House districts. This comes in light of a recent Supreme Court decision that has previously blocked district lines approved by Congress in 2023.

Additionally, a bill related to state senate districts, which had been authorized in 2021, was also signed into law. “If this special session concludes successfully and the courts rule in our favor regarding the redistricting cases, Alabama is prepared to act swiftly,” Ivey stated. She expressed gratitude to Congress for addressing this matter urgently and acknowledged the leadership of Speaker Ledbetter and Pro Tem Gudger during the week. Alabamians, she noted, best understand their state, its people, and the districts.

A federal court recently dismissed an emergency motion to pause the congressional redistricting case, emphasizing the lack of authority to overturn the current situation in Alabama, especially during an election period. The order highlighted that this matter remains under review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The state is seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention to permit the use of the 2023 legislative map. State Attorney General Steve Marshall affirmed his commitment to fighting for Alabama’s right to employ the congressional maps established by elected officials.

“Alabama created its maps based on valid policy goals, not racial considerations. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling validated this approach. We’ve been penalized for making the right choices, and we are now urging the courts to remedy that,” the attorney general remarked.