The Supreme Court cleared Alabama to use a newly redrawn congressional map for the 2026 midterm elections, a decision that could shift the state’s representation toward Republicans.
The unsigned order came Tuesday evening over dissent from the Court’s three liberal justices. The ruling arrived after Alabama had already held its primary elections, setting up significant changes to the state’s delegation to Washington.
If the map holds through November, Alabama is expected to send six Republicans and one Democrat to the U.S. House. Currently, the state’s seven-seat delegation includes two Black Democratic representatives: Shomari Figures in the 2nd District and Terri Sewell in the 7th District.
The new map could allow Republicans to reclaim Figures’ district, though the exact electoral outcome remains uncertain. Control of the House is expected to hinge on relatively few seats, making redistricting battles nationwide increasingly high-stakes.
The majority relied partly on the Purcell principle, a legal doctrine stating that federal courts should not intervene in election disputes shortly before voting occurs. “The District Court interposed itself into Alabama’s ongoing efforts to conduct its imminent 2026 congressional elections under maps that its elected representatives selected,” the court wrote.
The order stated that convenience for the state was insufficient justification for court intervention. “While federal courts should not impose changes close to an election, states are free to decide for themselves whether last-minute changes to an election are in their best interests,” it continued.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor objected to the decision, writing that the majority was creating chaos. “Now the court is squarely faced with a record of the turmoil it has caused and the harm it has wrought,” Sotomayor wrote.
The Alabama case follows the Court’s April decision to restrict voting rights claims under the Voting Rights Act. That 6-3 ruling essentially requires voting rights groups to establish a strong inference of intentional racial discrimination before proceeding with lawsuits.
Republican Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation permitting special elections in August for affected districts, contingent on court approval of the new map. The Supreme Court’s decision removes that final barrier to holding those elections.
This story has been updated. CNN’s legal team contributed to this report.