Alabama's congressional districts

Since the 1973 redistricting following the 1970 census, Alabama has had seven congressional districts. This is three less districts than the historic high of ten congressional districts just prior to the 1930 census.

Districting

The redistricting in 2002 marginally strengthened the Democratic position, but has not contributed to any net changes by the parties. The biggest change in 2002 was to the 3rd District, which lost St. Clair County in exchange for part of Montgomery county, including the area around the capitol. The districts black composition rose by 7% as a result, however this did not lead to an unseating of the Republican member.

The Alabama state legislature is in charge of apportionment and redistricting in Alabama. A bipartisan interim committee of 22 representatives (11 from the Alabama House of Representatives, and 11 from the Alabama Senate) is formed to develop a redistricting plan for recommendation to the legislature. The Governor has veto power over both the state legislative and congressional plans.

That being said, all redistricting plans in recent history have been court-ordered due to a failure on the part of the legislature to enact their own plans. The redistricting plan adopted after the 1990 census was first proposed by Republicans and ordered into effect by the federal courts. That plan moved black residents out of the 2nd and 6th districts, which had been competitive for Democrats. Both the 2nd and 6th are now Republican districts.

The 6th and 7th districts are considered by redistricting watch organizations such as Fair Vote and the National Committee for an Effective Congress to be in the "irregular" or "gerrymandered" category. [cite web|url=http://www.fairvote.org/?page=290 |publisher=FairVote |title=Alabama Redistricting 2000 |accessdate=2008-05-20 |language=English|]

History of Congressional Delegation

Alabama is typical of most southern states in its pattern, although there are a few interesting deviations. Admitted into the union in 1819, it first appointed members in the 18th United States Congress in 1823. Alabama's growing population coupled with the expansions of the United States House of Representatives meant that by the time the Civil War broke out, Alabama had seven seats - all of which had been dominated by either Democrats or Democratic-Republicans up to that point.

After the civil war, Alabama was subject to the Reconstruction and placed under an effective military control for a period. Typical of this era, freedmen were given the right to vote, and the Republican federal government installed Republican candidates as senators, congressmen and governors. Alabama was no exception. However by 1874 the Democratic party had re-established itself in Alabama, and a series of redistrictings and then punitive race laws ensured that no Republicans remained congressmen after 1877.

With very little deviation, Southern Democrats (Dixiecrats) remained steadfastly dominant in Alabama until 1965. A combination of the Republican "Southern Strategy", new redistricting attempts, and events like the Selma Voting March and Bloody Sunday broke the stranglehold of the Democratic Party in Alabama - resulting in a net gain of five seats to Republicans in 1965. Over the next 30 years Republicans and Democrats shared representation of Alabama in Congress (although there was still a Democrat dominance), however over that time the nature of the Democrats and Republicans in the south fundamentally changed.

By 1997 the Republicans had come to dominate Alabama's congressional holdings. The Contract with America can be partially credited, however as the Southern Democratic tradition has died out the Republican Party have essentially begun to take over that same role. As long serving Dixiecrats have died out, they have generally been replaced by like-minded Republicans.

References