Black Politics Now
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Black Politics Now
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
No Result
View All Result
Black Politics Now
No Result
View All Result

Redistricting case could shift political power in Alabama’s biggest county

Black Politics Now by Black Politics Now
December 24, 2024
in Voter Rights
0
Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse, Birmingham

Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse, Birmingham

74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Dec 24, 2024 Story by: Editor

You might also like

Federal court to consider return of preclearance oversight to Alabama’s voting map

North Carolina redistricting trial concludes; no ruling expected before August

Gov. Abbott calls special legislative session after DOJ warns Texas maps are unconstitutional

A critical legal case that could reshape political power in Alabama’s largest county is now in the hands of a federal judge.

Plaintiffs argue that the Jefferson County Commission’s current five-district map unfairly concentrates Black voters into two districts, significantly reducing their influence in other areas of the county.

Currently, the five districts are sharply divided along racial and political lines, with three white Republican commissioners and two Black Democratic members.

A ruling in the case could have sweeping consequences for Jefferson County, which is home to approximately 674,000 residents, affecting taxes, finances, development, and public services.

Allegations of Racial Gerrymandering

Kathryn Sadasivan, a representative of the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund and one of the plaintiffs, criticized the current maps for Districts 1 and 2, stating they use “tendrils” to pull in an excessive number of Black residents.

“The map does so in extreme excess of what is needed to create the court-ordered majority-minority districts from nearly 40 years ago,” Sadasivan explained.

County Defense: Historical Precedent and Population Changes

Attorney Taylor Meehan, representing the county, defended the district maps as an extension of the boundaries established by a 1986 consent decree. That decree aimed to ensure Black voters had an opportunity for representation.

Meehan emphasized that various factors influenced the district lines, including maintaining Birmingham as the population center for Districts 1 and 2 and accounting for population loss to balance district sizes.

“We absolutely dispute the facts that there were specific racial targets in the redistricting,” said Meehan, whose Chicago-based law firm, Consovoy McCarthy, was hired by the county to lead the defense team.

Key Hearing Details and Trial Timeline

Arguments from both sides were presented Thursday during a five-hour hearing before Judge Madeline Haikala. While the county previously sought to have the case dismissed, Haikala allowed it to proceed and has now set a trial date for January 13.

Haikala raised concerns about the composition of District 2, represented by Commissioner Sheila Tyson, noting it includes more Black voters than necessary to qualify as a majority-minority district.

“I’m counting that as circumstantial evidence that the court can consider,” Haikala said during the hearing.

Broader Implications

The Jefferson County case has drawn comparisons to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Alabama’s congressional map. That decision found the state’s map to be unfair to Black voters, ultimately leading to new federal voting maps and the election of Shomari Figures of Mobile as Alabama’s second Democratic congressional representative.

Plaintiffs in the Case

The plaintiffs in this redistricting case include several organizations and individuals, notably the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, the Metro-Birmingham Branch of the NAACP, Greater Birmingham Ministries, and residents Cara McClure, Alexia Addoh-Kondi, Cynthia Bonner, Ja’Nelle Brown, Eric Hall, Michael Hansen, Julia Juarez, Charles Long, William Muhammad, Fred Lee Randall, Tammie Smith, and Robert Walker.

This case represents a pivotal moment for Jefferson County, with the potential to reshape the county’s political landscape and influence for decades to come. Source: AL

Tags: Alabama redistricting caseAlabama voting district changesPolitical power shift AlabamaRedistricting impact on county
Share30Tweet19
Black Politics Now

Black Politics Now

Recommended For You

Federal court to consider return of preclearance oversight to Alabama’s voting map

by Black Politics Now
July 11, 2025
0
Jemma Stephenson/Alabama Reflector

A three-judge federal panel will hear arguments on July 29, 2025, to determine whether Alabama should be reinstituted under the Voting Rights Act’s preclearance requirement.

Read moreDetails

North Carolina redistricting trial concludes; no ruling expected before August

by Black Politics Now
July 10, 2025
0
Federal trial set to challenge North Carolina election maps

A federal trial has concluded with no final decision expected before August involving challenges to North Carolina’s congressional and legislative election maps.

Read moreDetails

Gov. Abbott calls special legislative session after DOJ warns Texas maps are unconstitutional

by Black Politics Now
July 12, 2025
0
2020 Census Data and 2021 Redistricting Maps. Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered state lawmakers back to Austin for a special legislative session beginning Monday, July 21 with redistricting as one of the central issues...

Read moreDetails

Federal court won’t revisit ruling that weakens the Voting Rights Act in 7 states

by Black Politics Now
July 4, 2025
0
North Dakota ruling blocks private suits under Voting Rights Act in 7 states

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has declined to revisit a decision that bars private individuals and groups from suing to enforce Section 2 of the Voting...

Read moreDetails

Tarrant County hires law firm to defend redistricting map

by Black Politics Now
July 8, 2025
0
Tarrant County Commissioners to vote on redistricting plan on Tuesday

Tarrant County commissioners have approved a $250,000 contract with the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) to defend the county's recently adopted redistricting map against a lawsuit alleging racial...

Read moreDetails
Next Post
Image Source: Washington Informer

N.J. among the states with the highest percentage of Black veterans, data shows

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT

Related News

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis revealed that in fiscal year 2023, nearly $700 million in state contracting funds were awarded to small diverse and veteran-owned businesses. He initially made the announcement in Harrisburg and later echoed the message at the Black Business Expo held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. (State of Pennsylvania PACast)

State of Pennsylvania increases contracts to Black-owned businesses by 30%

January 5, 2025
House passes bill limiting federal judges’ nationwide injuctions

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation unveils executive orders tracker

April 23, 2025
Social

Social Security Administration to require in-person identity checks for new and existing recipients

March 22, 2025
Black Politics Now

Get informed on African American politics with "Black Politics Now," your ultimate source for political engagement.

CATEGORIES

  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Congressional Black Caucus
  • Criminal Justice
  • Data
  • Department of Justice
  • Diversity Initiatives
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Enviroment
  • Equity
  • Hate Crimes
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Investigations
  • Legal Defense Fund
  • NAACP
  • Policy
  • Real Estate
  • Reparations
  • Research
  • Sports
  • State Issues
  • Study
  • Supreme Court
  • Technology
  • Voter Rights
  • World

Quick Link

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of service
  • Contact us

Download Our App

© 2024 Black Politics Now | All Right Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpChatIcon
wpChatIcon
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Cart
SUBSCRIBE

© 2024 Black Politics Now | All Right Reserved

Join the Movement, Subscribe Now!(Don't worry, we'll never spam you!)

Don’t miss a beat—get the latest news, inspiring stories, and in-depth coverage of the issues that matter most to the Black community. Be part of the conversation and stay connected.

Enter your email address