MONTGOMERY—Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday amended her proclamation for Alabama’s Aug. 11 Special Primary Election as the state awaits a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding which congressional district map will be used in the 2026 election cycle.
The amendment comes after a federal court on May 26 temporarily prohibited Alabama from using the congressional map approved by the Alabama Legislature in 2023. Instead, the court ordered the state to conduct the 2026 congressional elections using a court-drawn congressional map.
With election-related deadlines approaching, Ivey said the amendment is necessary to ensure candidates file and campaign in the correct congressional districts while legal proceedings continue.
“While I remain hopeful the U.S. Supreme Court will allow Alabama to move forward with our August 11 Special Primary Election using our own congressional map, I am taking the necessary preparations as critical election deadlines approach,” Ivey said in a statement. “I will continue to say: Alabama knows our state, our people, and our districts best.”
The governor’s office said the amended proclamation is intended to address the current legal landscape while preserving the state’s ability to proceed with the special election regardless of how the Supreme Court ultimately rules.
If the U.S. Supreme Court rules in Alabama’s favor, the Aug. 11 Special Primary Election would proceed under the 2023 congressional map enacted by the Alabama Legislature. That map was originally designated for use in the special election proclamation Ivey issued on May 12.
The special primary election was called to fill Alabama’s vacant congressional seat following the departure of former U.S. Representative.
The ongoing dispute centers on which congressional district boundaries will govern the special election and future congressional races in Alabama. Election officials are working to prepare for either outcome as candidate qualifying and other election deadlines draw near.
The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet issued a ruling on Alabama’s request to use the Legislature’s congressional map for the upcoming special election. Until a decision is made, state election officials will continue preparations under the court-ordered map while preserving the ability to transition to the Legislature’s map should the state’s appeal succeed.
Governor Ivey’s full official proclamation is provided below:
