Lawsuit Seeks Unpacking of Congressional Districts in Alabama

Alabama Democrats are urging the GOP-controlled state legislature not to pack Black voters into one congressional district as part of an effort to reduce their influence in the state’s other districts.

The suit, which was dated Sept. 27 and lists Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill as the defendant, wants the legislature as it prepares to draw a new map using 2020 census data to repair racial gerrymandering in Alabama by keeping whole counties intact. This, the suit states, would “afford African Americans an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice in at least two districts.”

Racial packing is ...