Black voter turnout surges in US south despite Republican redistricting drive: ‘They could not stop the momentum’

Black voter turnout rose sharply across several southern states during the midterm elections, helping Democrats win or hold seats despite Republican redistricting efforts aimed at strengthening the party’s position. The results suggest those map changes did not prevent Black voters from influencing elections, amid efforts to protect political representation after a major Supreme Court ruling.

The article says the Court’s April decision in *Louisiana v Callais* weakened a key Voting Rights Act protection against racial discrimination in voting. Alabama, Texas and other states then redrew maps affecting majority-Black districts. In Alabama, Democrat Shomari Figures won by nearly eight points; turnout rose 44% statewide, up from 28% in 2022, and increased 81% in the majority-Black areas of his district.