Judges block Alabama's congressional map switch

A federal court has put the brakes on Alabama's efforts to revert to its 2023 congressional maps for this year's elections.

Why it matters: If Alabamans vote this fall under the 2023 maps, one of the state's seven House seats would likely flip from blue to red.

• The decision also carries implications for Alabama's upcoming special primaries, with wheels already turning on a plan to put the former maps in effect for midterm elections.

The latest: A three-judge panel on Tuesday blocked the state from using its 2023 maps and ordered it to instead use court-drawn maps that were instituted after the previous maps were struck down for intentionally diluting minority voting power.

• The state is planning to appeal.

Catch up quick: Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted lower-court injunctions blocking the state from using the 2023 maps, after Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall filed emergency motions to that effect in the wake of the Louisiana v. Callais ruling.

• Those motions requested the cases be remanded back to the lower court in light of the Callais ruling, but the panel of judges said in Tuesday's order that "our re-examination in light of Callais yields the same conclusion."
• A special session of the state Legislature wrapped up May 8, resulting in two bills setting the stage for special Aug. 11 primary elections for the four affected congressional districts.

Zoom in: "We now face a critical decision on a very tight timeline," the judges wrote in Tuesday's order.

• The court said it had to decide whether to allow the state to move forward with a map "that we found (after a full trial) intentionally discriminated against Black voters" or to issue an injunction two-and-a-half months before the special primary elections. It chose the latter.

"We reject in the strongest possible terms the State's attempt to finish its intentional decision to dilute minority votes with a veneer of legislative regularity," the judges write.

• The Aug. 11 special primaries will proceed per state law passed during the special session but will do so under the current court-ordered map — unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes again.

What they're saying: "As a party to this case, in my official capacity as Secretary of State, I strongly disagree with the lower Court's decision," Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said in a statement emailed to Axios. "I look forward to appealing it to the [Supreme Court] as soon as possible."

• Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement as well, saying she supports plans to appeal the decision and that she's hopeful the state can move forward with its Aug. 11 special elections.