Supreme Court rules Alabama congressional map most likely violates Voting Rights Act

[AUDub 11,158]

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a surprising ruling in favor of Black voters in an Alabama congressional redistricting case, ordering the creation of a second district with a large Black population, the Associated Press reported.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined with the court’s liberals in affirming a lower-court ruling that found a likely violation of the Voting Rights Act in an Alabama congressional map with one majority Black seat out of seven congressional districts in a state where more than one in four residents is Black, AP reported.

https://www.al.com/news/2023/06/supreme-court-may-rule-today-whether-alabama-congressional-map-violates-voting-rights-act.html

When this iteration of the SCOTUS says "that map is racist," it must be pretty racist. 

[cole256 17,084]

It's crazy being how racism doesn't even exist anymore. And all of this is just in black people's head.

[TexasTiger 12,964]

Pleasant surprise. 👍🏻 Roberts realizes he’s with a bunch of new crazies and it’s moderating him a bit.

[Auburnfan91 1,407]

They're going to have to basically split the black belt in two in order to make two black districts. Terri Sewell has most of it already in district 7.

Here's the current district map that's going to have to be redrawn:

 

Splitting the black belt is one of the only options. Most whites in Alabama vote Republican so they're not going to be able to include many red counties in a new district in order to elect a black Democrat.

Here's the 2022 Alabama Gubernatorial election map by how each county voted:

Red = Republican
Blue = Democrat

 

[AU9377 4,979]

The don't have to draw the district to ensure a black Democrat wins.  They simply can't dilute black vote by splitting it as they were attempting to do.

[arein0 970]

Hopefully my state is next in line to get their gerrymandered maps deemed unconstitutional.

Edited June 8, 2023 by arein0

[AUDub 11,158]

53 minutes ago, Auburnfan91 said:

They're going to have to basically split the black belt in two in order to make two black districts. Terri Sewell has most of it already in district 7.

Here's the current district map that's going to have to be redrawn:

 

Splitting the black belt is one of the only options. Most whites in Alabama vote Republican so they're not going to be able to include many red counties in a new district in order to elect a black Democrat.

Here's the 2022 Alabama Gubernatorial election map by how each county voted:

Red = Republican
Blue = Democrat

 

Shift the B'ham metro to district 6. Bam. Done. Now district 6 is purple. 

[Auburnfan91 1,407]

30 minutes ago, AUDub said:

Shift the B'ham metro to district 6. Bam. Done. Now district 6 is purple. 

I'm not sure that would work out the way Democrats want. If you put B'ham metro in district 6, that would just about make district 7 purple also.

B'ham metro is a stronghold for Terri Sewell. They're not going to want to jeopardize Sewell's seat in order to create a 2nd competitive district.

 

Edit: Sewell is from Huntsville

Edited June 8, 2023 by Auburnfan91

[Auburnfan91 1,407]

1 hour ago, AU9377 said:

The don't have to draw the district to ensure a black Democrat wins.  They simply can't dilute black vote by splitting it as they were attempting to do.

There's going to be to a 2nd majority black district. The Supreme Court instructed that Alabama draws a 2nd majority black district, not just make other districts more competitive. The Alabama Democratic Party leadership is mostly black. I'm not sure why you think a majority black district won't elect a black representative.

[PUB78 1,361]

It’s going to be difficult getting two majority black districts in Alabama without some serious gerrymandering.

[AU9377 4,979]

4 hours ago, Auburnfan91 said:

There's going to be to a 2nd majority black district. The Supreme Court instructed that Alabama draws a 2nd majority black district, not just make other districts more competitive. The Alabama Democratic Party leadership is mostly black. I'm not sure why you think a majority black district won't elect a black representative.

Yes, the most likely outcome is a black Democrat will be elected.  We shouldn't pretend that there wasn't good reason for the passage of the Voting Rights Act as a way to remedy a lot of disgusting behavior by our not so distant relatives.  That said,  I have seen civil rights legislation used for good purposes and for self serving motives by all parties, both the left and the right.  But for the Republicans in Montgomery getting greedy, this would have never been an issue.

Edited June 9, 2023 by AU9377

[DKW 86 7,431]

15 hours ago, Auburnfan91 said:

They're going to have to basically split the black belt in two in order to make two black districts. Terri Sewell has most of it already in district 7.

Here's the current district map that's going to have to be redrawn:

 

Splitting the black belt is one of the only options. Most whites in Alabama vote Republican so they're not going to be able to include many red counties in a new district in order to elect a black Democrat.

Here's the 2022 Alabama Gubernatorial election map by how each county voted:

Red = Republican
Blue = Democrat

 

This alone is enough to scare thinking people of Alabama. 

I have told yall for years it is not uncommon that 16-18 positions on my vote card in Morgan County have Republicans running unopposed.

[autigeremt 6,652]

On 6/9/2023 at 8:02 AM, DKW 86 said:

This alone is enough to scare thinking people of Alabama. 

I have told yall for years it is not uncommon that 16-18 positions on my vote card in Morgan County have Republicans running unopposed.

Combine that with a very dysfunctional Democrat Party in AL and you have a deep red stranglehold of the state….one that also squeezes out third parties.