NRF Responds to Alabama House, Senate Republican Maps

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Jena Doyle

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NRF Responds to Alabama House, Senate Republican Maps

Both maps include just 1 Black opportunity district, defying court order

Washington, D.C. – Today, both chambers of the Alabama Legislature passed gerrymandered congressional maps with only Republican support. Both maps contain just one Black opportunity district, where the Black Voting Age Population (BVAP) is at least 50 percent or close to it, despite the fact that the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that in Alabama such a map is a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). 

Specifically, the House’s congressional map, deceptively titled “Communities of Interest Plan,” includes a second congressional district with a BVAP of 42.45 percent and the Senate’s congressional map, titled “Livingston Plan 2”, includes a second congressional district with a BVAP of 38.31 percent. 

In order to be enacted, one of the maps must pass the opposite chamber and then be signed by the governor. 

Marina Jenkins, Executive Director of the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF), issued the following statement: 

“The maps passed by the Alabama House and Senate are in flagrant disregard of the Alabama district court’s order to enact a map with two districts in which Black Alabamians can elect a candidate of their choice, and the Supreme Court’s decision affirming the lower court. This shameful process, riddled with partisan schemes deployed at the expense of Black voters’ rights, has failed the voters of Alabama who deserve a fair and compliant congressional map. Time and time again, Republican legislators have shown their intentions lie solely in maintaining their own political power and silencing the constituents they are meant to represent. Neither the House nor Senate map meet the requirement of the court’s order, or the law, and will be challenged.” 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

The NRF, the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), supports the map developed by the plaintiff groups who succeeded on the Section 2 claim at issue in this case, what is officially titled “VRA Plaintiffs’ Remedial Plan.” The VRA Plaintiffs’ Remedial Plan provides fair and legally compliant representation to voters by including two congressional districts that have a Black Voting Age Population (BVAP) of above 50 percent, which is necessary for these districts to effectively provide an equal opportunity for Black voters in Alabama to elect their candidates of choice as required by the VRA. And it does this while making minimal changes to the state’s current map. More information about the VRA Plaintiffs’ Remedial Plan can be found here.   

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