dailyloe.com – The Republican governors of Tennessee and Alabama have called state lawmakers into special sessions. This action follows a Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the Voting Rights Act.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has scheduled a special session starting Tuesday. He stated that lawmakers “owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters.”
Lee emphasized that any changes must be enacted quickly, as Tennessee’s primaries are set for August 6. The deadline for candidates to qualify for the primary ballot was in March.
GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn, running for governor, urged lawmakers to create a map favoring Republicans in all nine congressional districts. This includes splitting the Memphis-area district held by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen.
President Trump has also advocated for Lee to redraw the map to provide Republicans with “one extra seat.” In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey has called a special legislative session starting Monday.
Ivey aims to prepare for potential special primary elections if a new House map is adopted. She stated the need to be ready for any court actions affecting this year’s elections.
Alabama’s primaries are scheduled for May 19, with a candidate filing deadline in January. The state faces complications due to ongoing litigation regarding its congressional districts.
The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that Alabama’s House map violated the Voting Rights Act. Subsequently, a three-judge panel rejected another map proposed by state lawmakers.
A court-appointed expert then created a new map, resulting in two House districts with significant Black voter populations, both held by Democrats. Ivey aims to revert to the 2023 state legislature’s map, which included one majority-Black, Democratic-leaning House seat.
Currently, Alabama’s existing map is under a court injunction, requiring it to remain until after the 2030 Census. State Attorney General Steve Marshall is involved in addressing these legal matters.
