Alabama Governor Calls Special Legislative Session to Redraw Maps
On Friday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced that the state Legislature will reconvene on May 4 to redraw the legislative maps. This decision is contingent upon the U.S. Supreme Court lifting an injunction tied to the Allen v. Milligan case. The urgency stems from a recent ruling in Louisiana v. Calais, which has tightened restrictions on racial gerrymandering in predominantly black congressional districts across the Southern states.
Ivey proclaimed, “I, Kay Ivey, as the Governor of the State of Alabama, do hereby declare and direct that a special session of the General Assembly of the State of Alabama be convened in Montgomery, Alabama, on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 4 p.m.” She added that Congress might review legislation for special primaries aimed at electing representatives in districts affected by court-mandated changes to their boundaries.
The announcement hints at the Alabama Legislature’s confidence that the Supreme Court will soon lift the Milligan injunction, particularly following the recent Curry ruling.
Alongside Alabama, Louisiana is also preparing for the 2026 midterm congressional elections. Other states such as Mississippi and Tennessee may also consider redrawing their maps shortly, with South Carolina potentially following suit.
Interestingly, Georgia plans to implement a new congressional map ahead of the 2028 elections rather than adjusting anything for the upcoming midterms.
In a notable development, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to lift the Milligan injunction in response to the Curry decision.
If the injunction is indeed lifted and the state Legislature agrees on a new map, it’s anticipated that Alabama will revert to the 2023 congressional map that was previously mandated by the Milligan ruling.
Ivey’s statement reflected a proactive approach: “By calling the Legislature into a special session, we will ensure that Alabama is prepared in case the courts act swiftly to allow Alabama’s previously drawn Congressional and State Senate maps to be used during this election cycle. Once the court-ordered injunction is lifted, Alabama will revert to the 2023 drawn maps for Congressional districts.”
This shift is expected to significantly alter the state’s 2nd Congressional District, likely transforming it from a consistently Democratic territory to a more competitive Republican seat.
