Chicago – May 02, 2026
Alabama and Tennessee have moved to join a growing wave of Southern states seeking to redraw congressional maps after the Supreme Court’s recent ruling narrowed the use of race in redistricting cases.
In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey called a special legislative session beginning Monday to prepare for possible changes to the state’s U.S. House map and to consider scheduling special primary elections if courts allow a revised plan to take effect. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also ordered lawmakers into a special session, saying the state should ensure its districts reflect the will of Tennessee voters.
The move follows the Court’s decision in the Louisiana case, which struck down a map with two majority-Black districts and has encouraged Republican-led states to revisit their own district lines before the 2026 midterms.
Alabama is already under court supervision over its congressional map, while Tennessee could attempt to reshape the state’s lone Democratic-leaning district centered in Memphis. The latest developments signal that redistricting battles are intensifying well ahead of November’s elections.
