Move follows U.S. Supreme Court activity and emergency filings by Attorney General Steve Marshall, positioning Alabama for rapid action if court-ordered map restrictions are lifted
MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday announced a special session of the Alabama Legislature, signaling a renewed push in the state’s ongoing legal battle over congressional redistricting and election maps.
The governor’s decision comes amid shifting legal developments at the national level, including a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which Ivey described as “encouraging” for Alabama’s pending litigation. While the state remains under a federal court order barring the use of newly drawn congressional maps until after the 2030 census, state leaders are moving to ensure readiness should judicial conditions change.
According to the governor’s official proclamation, the special session will convene at the Alabama State House in Montgomery at 4:00 p.m. on May 4, 2026, to consider legislation tied specifically to election procedures in districts affected by potential court-ordered changes.
The session’s primary focus will be legislation enabling special primary elections for the U.S. House of Representatives and the Alabama State Senate in districts where boundary lines may be altered by judicial action. The proclamation limits the scope of the session strictly to this issue, requiring a two-thirds vote for consideration of any additional legislation.
