A panel of three federal judges blocked Alabama on Tuesday from using an electoral map that would eliminate one of the state's two majority-Black U.S. House districts.
In a 79-page ruling, the judges said the Republican-backed map intentionally discriminated against Black voters and cannot be used for the 2026 elections. Republican officials are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey had postponed primary elections for four districts drawn under the disputed map to August.
The ruling is part of a broader redistricting battle across the South following a Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act. Tennessee and Louisiana have also dismantled majority-Black districts, while South Carolina is considering a similar plan.
The panel's decision means August's special primaries will proceed under a court-approved map from 2023, which includes two majority-Black districts.
