Lawmakers submit new legislative maps to court

Alabama lawmakers have submitted new legislative districts lines to a federal court after being ordered to correct racial gerrymandering.

Lawmakers last week submitted the new districts to the three-judge panel. The panel in January struck down 12 districts, saying Republicans had overly relied on race to draw lines. Judges said new lines must be drawn by the 2018 elections.

The GOP-controlled Legislature approved the map last month over the objections of black Democrats whose lawsuit led to the redistricting order.

The Legislative Black Caucus in the 2012 lawsuit argued African-American voters had been “stacked and packed” into designated minority districts to make neighboring districts whiter and more Republican.

Republicans say the new plan corrects the problems found by the court. Black Democrats argued Republicans made minimal changes.

Republished with permission of The Associated Press.