Supreme Court allows drawing of new Alabama congressional map to proceed, rejecting state’s plea

By MARK SHERMAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing work to proceed on a new Alabama congressional map with greater representation for Black voters, rejecting the state’s plea to retain Republican-drawn lines struck down by a lower court. In refusing to intervene, the justices on Tuesday left in place an order directing a court-appointed special master to propose new lines for the state with a second district where Black voters constitute a majority or close to it. A second district with a Democratic-leaning Black majority could send another Democrat to Congress at a time when Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives. Federal lawsuits over state and congressional districts are pending in Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.