{"id":2600486,"date":"2026-05-08T16:38:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T20:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alabama-gop-passes-bill-delaying-house-primaries-if-courts-ok-redistricting\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T16:42:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T20:42:57","slug":"alabama-gop-passes-bill-delaying-house-primaries-if-courts-ok-redistricting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alabama-gop-passes-bill-delaying-house-primaries-if-courts-ok-redistricting\/","title":{"rendered":"Alabama GOP passes bill delaying House primaries if courts OK redistricting"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Falabama-gop-passes-bill-delaying-house-primaries-if-courts-ok-redistricting%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2600486&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Alabama lawmakers approved a Republican-backed bill that would let Gov. Kay Ivey postpone or reschedule House congressional primary elections in districts affected by potential court-approved changes to the state\u2019s congressional map,ahead of the 2026 midterms. The effort is tied to a renewed legal and political fight over redistricting after a recent U.S.Supreme Court decision in a Louisiana Voting Rights Act case weakened protections used by challengers to congressional maps.<\/p>\n<p>The dispute centers on Alabama\u2019s 2023 congressional map, which initially contained only one majority-Black district despite Black residents making up about 27% of the population. A federal court previously found the map likely violated the Voting Rights Act and ordered a second district that enabled Democrats to win Alabama\u2019s congressional seats in 2024, including Rep. Shomari Figures. While Alabama currently has five Republican and two Democratic House seats, proposed map changes could potentially shift the balance by creating an additional GOP seat.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans argue the Supreme Court ruling reopened the issue and that emergency action is needed before Alabama\u2019s May 19 primaries, with attorney General Steve Marshall filing emergency motions to lift federal restrictions on an earlier GOP-backed map. Democrats and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/controversial-candidate-jr-majewski-drops-out-of-ohio-house-race\/\" title=\"JR Majewski, a controversial candidate, withdraws from Ohio House race\">civil rights groups condemned<\/a> the bill as an attempt to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >alter election rules mid-cycle<\/a> and reduce Black depiction, with protesters demonstrating at the statehouse. The Alabama move follows similar actions in Louisiana, where congressional primaries were delayed to allow district line changes after the Supreme Court decision.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/alabama\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1172\">Alabama<\/a> lawmakers passed legislation Friday that would allow the state to delay congressional <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/primaries\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2655\">primary elections<\/a> if federal courts approve a new district map amid renewed legal and political battle over redistricting in the South ahead of the 2026 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/midterm-elections\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"308\">midterm elections<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>The Republican-backed bill, approved after heated debate in the Alabama legislature, would give Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kay-ivey\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3161\">Kay Ivey<\/a> (R-AL) authority to postpone or reschedule House primaries in districts affected by possible court-ordered <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/redistricting\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"241\">map changes<\/a>. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4561007\/texas-senate-primary-cornyn-paxton-strip-club\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Texas Senate battle gets ugly as Cornyn compares Paxton\u2019s ethics to a strip club owner\u2019s<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4560846\/hakeem-jeffries-fight-virginia-supreme-court-striking-down-congressional-map\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jeffries pledges to fight Virginia Supreme Court\u2019s striking down of new House map<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4551658\/virginia-supreme-court-blocks-redistricting-referendum\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Virginia Supreme Court blocks redistricting referendum and invalidates new congressional map<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>The legislation comes as Alabama officials seek to revive a previously blocked congressional map that could shift Rep. Shomari Figures\u2019s (D-AL)\u00a0district and possibly boost Republican chances in the state\u2019s congressional delegation. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The move follows a recent <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"203\">Supreme Court<\/a> decision in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/louisiana\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"529\">Louisiana<\/a> redistricting case that weakened key Voting Rights Act protections used in challenges against congressional maps in southern states. Republican-led legislatures in Alabama, Louisiana, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tennessee\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"600\">Tennessee<\/a>, and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/south-carolina\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"524\">South Carolina <\/a>have since moved quickly to revisit district lines before November\u2019s elections.<\/p>\n<p>    <iframe title=\"Which states are trying to enact new maps for the midterms\" aria-label=\"Choropleth map\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-gyDC7\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/gyDC7\/6\/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" height=\"493\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>In Alabama, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-upholds-louisiana-licensing-rules-for-private-pre-k-programs\/\" title=\"Judge upholds Louisiana licensing rules for private pre-K programs\">legal fight centers<\/a> on the state\u2019s 2023 congressional map, which originally contained only one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/as-republican-julia-letlow-is-sworn-in-the-democrats-margin-in-the-house-shrinks-to-just-2-votes\/\" title=\"As ... Julia Letlow Is Sworn In, The ...\u2019 Margin In The House Shrinks To Just 2 Votes\">majority-black district<\/a> despite black residents making up roughly 27% of the population. <\/p>\n<p>A federal court previously ruled the map likely violated the Voting Rights Act and ordered the creation of a second district where black voters could elect their preferred candidate. That court-drawn map led Democrats to win Alabama congressional seats in 2024, including Figures. <\/p>\n<p>Alabama\u2019s congressional delegation map has five GOP seats and two Democrat seats, but the proposed map could create an additional Republican seat.<\/p>\n<p>Republican state leaders argue the Supreme Court\u2019s recent ruling reopened the problem and justified emergency action before Alabama\u2019s scheduled May 19 congressional primaries. State Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed emergency motions seeking to lift federal restrictions on the earlier GOP-backed map. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4556389\/gop-democrats-gerrymander-targets-supreme-court-ruling\/\"><strong>RED OR BLUE? GOP AND DEMOCRATS EYE NEXT GERRYMANDER TARGETS AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Democrats and civil rights activists blasted the legislation during floor debate, accusing Republicans of attempting to change election rules mid-cycle and weaken black representation in Congress. Protesters gathered at the Alabama Statehouse throughout the special session, chanting \u201cDown with white supremacy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Alabama bill mirrors actions already taken in neighboring Louisiana, where officials delayed congressional primaries to allow lawmakers time to consider new district boundaries after the Supreme Court ruling. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alabama passes bill to delay congressional primaries if court redraws maps<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2600489,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26126713280804.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[50871,33739,6203,9973,16985],"class_list":["post-2600486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-alabama-2","tag-election-law","tag-gop","tag-primaries","tag-redistricting"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26126713280804.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2600486"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2600491,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600486\/revisions\/2600491"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2600489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2600486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2600486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2600486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}