Why recent decisions on redistricting may have a big impact on 2024

WAMU 88.5 | By Maya Garg

Published September 6, 2023 at 6:36 AM MDT

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 23: The U.S. Supreme Court is shown as the court meets to issue decisions May 23, 2016 in Washington, DC. The court today sided in a 7-1 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts with a Georgia inmate on death row in his appeal to the court citing efforts by prosecutors to exclude African Americans from a jury panel in the murder case. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

struck down Alabama’s 2022 voting map. The decision comes after months of back-and-forth between the Alabama legislature and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama over compliance with the Voting Rights Act.

The court had directed Alabama to create a second majority-Black voting district. Though 27 percent of state residents are Black, Black voters make up the majority in only one of seven voting districts.

“The law requires the creation of an additional district that affords Black Alabamians, like everyone else, a fair and reasonable opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The 2023 Plan plainly fails to do so.”

underway in Georgia. Opening statements began Tuesday in what’s expected to be a two-week trial.

How will these redistricting cases impact the 2024 elections?