Allen v. Milligan: What the Court Decided and What It Means for Alabama Voters
Yesterday, a federal court made its latest ruling in Allen v. Milligan, the case that changed Alabama’s congressional map to give Black voters a fairer shot at representation.
The judges said Alabama will keep using the fairer, court-ordered map for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. They will also keep an eye on the state until new maps are drawn after the 2030 Census.
The court did not put Alabama back under “preclearance” — a rule that, before 2013, forced certain states to get federal approval before changing voting maps or laws. Preclearance was one of the strongest protections against voter discrimination, but the Supreme Court ended it for Alabama and other states in Shelby County v. Holder.
The plaintiffs in this case wanted to bring preclearance back for congressional maps until after the 2030 Census. They argued it would prevent Alabama from trying to weaken voting rights in the future. The court said no for now, but made it clear they could revisit the idea of the state backtracks.
Why does that matter? Without preclearance, bad maps or voting changes can go into effect and stay in place for years while lawsuits play out. That’s exactly what happened after Alabama passed its 2023 congressional map, which the court later ruled was discriminatory.
The good news is that, because of this case, voters now have two districts where Black Alabamians have a real chance to elect leaders who represent their communities. That’s a big step toward fairer elections.
And this decision is part of a larger fight for fair representation across the South. Louisiana is next up at the U.S. Supreme Court, and other states are still dealing with unfair maps. These cases are connected — they’re about whether every voter’s voice counts equally, no matter where they live or what they look like.For now, Alabama’s fairer map will stay in place for the next three elections. The court will be watching. And so will we. At Alabama Values, we know our democracy works best when every voter has an equal say. That means staying alert, speaking up, and pushing for stronger protections to make sure no one’s voice is silenced.