Foley Will See Small Change If Redistricting Stands

Governor Kay Ivey on Friday signed House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1 to authorize the governor to call a special election in certain congressional and state senate districts in anticipation of favorable court action in the state’s ongoing redistricting litigation.

The governor issued the following statement:

“With this special session successfully behind us, Alabama now stands ready to quickly act, should the courts issue favorable rulings in our ongoing redistricting cases. I thank the Legislature for answering my call to address the issue in fast order. I am grateful to Speaker Ledbetter and Pro Tem Gudger for their strong leadership and focus this week. Alabama knows our state, our people and our districts best.” – Governor Kay Ivey

As the governor mentioned last week, by her calling the Legislature into a special session, she is ensuring Alabama is prepared should the courts act quickly enough to allow Alabama’s previously drawn congressional and state senate maps to be used during this election cycle. If the court-ordered injunctions are lifted, Alabama will revert to the maps drawn by the Legislature for congressional districts in 2023 and state senate districts in 2021.

The May 19, 2026, primary election will still occur as planned. If the injunctions are lifted, the governor may call a special election for certain state senate and congressional districts whose boundary lines changed as a result of reverting back to the 2021 and 2023 maps.

Currently Jerry Carl (R), Rhett Marques (R), Joshua McKee (R), and three others are running in the Republican primary for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District on May 19, 2026.

Incumbent Barry Moore (R) is running for U.S. Senate rather than seeking re-election.

Carl is a former member of the U.S. House. Carl represented the 1st District from 2021–2025 before losing to Moore 52%–48% in the 2024 primary after redistricting placed the two in the same district. He also served on the Mobile County Commission for eight years.

Marques was elected to the Alabama House in 2018 and is the owner and operator of an automotive service center. Marques was born in Spanish Fort but resides in Enterprise, Alabama. His ability to represent Baldwin County could be prohibited, depending on the final map chosen for districts.