Source: Fox News
Summary
Justice Clarence Thomas declined to immediately restore Alabama’s 2023 congressional map but ordered voting rights plaintiffs to provide an explanation by Monday on why the map should not be used. The case is part of a years-long redistricting saga that was given new life following an April Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the interpretation of a provision in the Voting Rights Act. Alabama argued an immediate stay was needed because the lower-court ruling “defies Callais, manipulates the Purcell principle, and offends the Constitution’s promise of equal protection for all.”
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As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
Justice Thomas ordered the voting rights plaintiffs to provide an explanation by Monday. The plaintiffs had challenged the Alabama legislature-drawn map, which was blocked by a lower court. The map was created after the Supreme Court’s April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which gave Republicans a new weapon against maps from left-wing voting rights activists. The decision has fueled a wave of fresh redistricting efforts in GOP-led states, including Alabama.
It’s a familiar dance: a court ruling, an appeal, a request for emergency relief, and a response from the Supreme Court. The timing of Thomas’ order comes as Alabama officials have already tried to prepare for a rapid switch back to the 2023 map. The process has entered a familiar phase.
Author: Evan Null
