The Alabama Legislature is convening for a special session to set primary dates to be used should the courts approve the state’s expedited request to allow the originally-passed congressional map from 2023 and the State Senate map from 2021 to go back into effect. 

The congressional plan has been introduced in the House by Pro Tem Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, while Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, sponsors the State Senate plan. Both bills have already been assigned to their respective committees.

Gov. Kay Ivey called legislators back to Montgomery following the U.S. Supreme Court decision last week against race-drawn districts in Louisiana. That decision limits the consideration of race when drawing congressional districts, stemming from a majority-minority district in Louisiana. 

If the court permits Alabama to reinstate its original 2023 map, the 1st, 2nd, and 7th congressional districts will be the only ones affected. The arrangement would likely result in six Republicans and one Democrat representing Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Alabama’s current congressional map includes two Democrat-held seats and is the result of Voting Rights Act litigation from 2023. 

The special session is expected to last five days, the minimum time required to pass a bill.