Tennessee, Alabama take steps to redraw House maps in wake of Supreme Court ruling
Tennessee and Alabama have called special legislative sessions to potentially redraw congressional maps following a recent Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the Voting Rights Act. The decision, stemming from a case in Louisiana, may allow states to reduce the number of majority-minority districts, impacting representation in several southern states. Both states aim to act quickly, though court interventions and election deadlines could complicate the process.
- ▪Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee called a special session to redraw congressional districts, aiming to align them with the Supreme Court's narrowed interpretation of the Voting Rights Act.
- ▪Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey convened a special session to prepare for potential changes to the state's congressional map, possibly reverting to a 2023 version with only one majority-Black district.
- ▪The Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais established that districts only violate the Voting Rights Act if there is a 'strong inference' of intentional discrimination, shifting prior interpretations.
- ▪Alabama's current map, drawn by a court-appointed expert, includes two districts with significant Black voter representation, both held by Democrats.
- ▪State officials in Mississippi and Florida are also pursuing map changes that could benefit Republicans, though election timelines may limit immediate impacts.
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Politics Tennessee and Alabama take steps to redraw House maps in wake of Supreme Court ruling By Joe Walsh Joe Walsh Senior Editor, Politics Joe Walsh is a senior editor for digital politics at CBS News. Joe previously covered breaking news for Forbes and local news in Boston. Read Full Bio Joe Walsh Updated on: May 1, 2026 / 8:32 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The Republican governors of Tennessee and Alabama called state lawmakers into special sessions on Friday, initial steps in what could be a scramble across multiple southern states to redraw congressional maps after the Supreme Court narrowed the Voting Rights Act.Depending on how state officials proceed and whether courts intervene, legislators may try to split up Tennessee's sole Democratic district and eliminate one of…
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