Supreme Court upholds Black voters’ rights in Alabama redistricting case
Alabama redistricting and voting rights scored a landmark victory in 2023 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to uphold Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, ordering Alabama to redraw congressional maps that illegally diluted Black voters’ political power. The decision surprised many observers who feared the conservative court would further weaken voting protections following its 2013 Shelby County ruling. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the liberal justices in affirming the legal standard protecting minority communities from racially discriminatory district maps. The ruling immediately pressured Louisiana, Georgia, and Texas to address similar redistricting violations.
