Compiled From Online Reports
MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday celebrated the United States Supreme Court’s decision to vacate the court-ordered congressional map, allowing for the use of the 2023 Alabama-drawn congressional map.
“I will continue to say: Alabama knows our state, our people and our districts best. The United States Supreme Court’s decision is plain common sense and enables our values to be best represented in Congress,” said Gov. Ivey. “For years, we have fought for this outcome, and I am proud to celebrate this win for Alabamians.”
Alabama voters are still scheduled to go to the polls in a week to decide which candidates at the federal, state and local levels will move on to the general election in November. But now, voters in four districts that would be affected by a new congressional map will vote for House primary candidates on Aug. 11.
Following last week’s successful special session and this victory at the U.S. Supreme Court, Governor Ivey is now taking the next step by calling a Special Primary Election for the affected congressional districts, the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th.
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell of the 7th District released the following statement regarding the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court allowing the State of Alabama to proceed with suppressing Black representation:
“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to allow Alabama to move forward with its discriminatory congressional map is a stunning departure from legal precedent and another direct attack on Black voters in Alabama.
“Let’s be clear. Alabama lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Black voters in drawing the 2023 map. A federal district court said so. The Supreme Court said so. Yet now, in this stunning reversal, the Court’s right-wing majority has completely ignored its previous rulings in order to give state officials the green light to suppress Black representation in Alabama. Moreover, the Court has injected needless chaos and confusion into an election that has already begun while rewarding state officials who openly defied court orders in bad faith,” Sewell said.
Governor Ivey set the special primary election for Tuesday, August 11, 2026. There will be no runoff election. The general election will occur as planned with all other races on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Qualifying with major political parties will begin Wednesday, May 20. The deadline for qualifying with major political parties will be Friday, May 22, at 5 p.m. The deadline for qualifying with all independent and minor political parties will be Tuesday, August 11, at 5 p.m.
Rep. Terri Sewell’s full statement can be found on her website.
