Alabama to hold primaries in three districts as redistricting delays four others

Alabama voters headed to the polls on Tuesday in a primary shaped by recent mid-decade redistricting that has scrambled the congressional map. Only the 1st, 3rd, and 7th Districts held binding primaries, the Associated Press reported. Elections in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Districts were pushed to a special primary on Aug. 11 while state officials restore prior district lines, a process triggered by a U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning congressional boundaries.

The restored map eliminates one of Alabama’s two majority-Black districts currently held by Democrats, the AP reported. The moves in Alabama coincide with similar redistricting efforts in Louisiana and Tennessee, which together form a national Republican push to maximize the party’s chances of retaining its U.S. House majority in the 2026 midterms — an effort endorsed by President Donald Trump.

At the top of the Alabama ballot, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville is seeking reelection. He faces a primary challenge from Karen “Kari” Stokes, though the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the seat as Solid Republican. The eventual Republican nominee is expected to face former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, whom Tuberville defeated in 2020, barring a primary upset.

Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is also up for reelection and faces two primary challengers, former state Sen. Slade Blackwell and businessman Jeff Scott. Ivey is expected to win the nomination, the AP reported. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the gubernatorial race as Solid Republican.

The congressional redistricting has also reshuffled incumbent matchups. Republican Reps. Barry Moore and Jerry Carl, both current House members, are running against each other in the 1st District primary after the boundary changes eliminated one seat.

The AP reported vote-counting procedures for the primary: polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern, with an automatic recount triggered if the margin is 0.5 percentage points or less. The AP will declare winners once it determines that trailing candidates cannot close the gap under any outstanding-vote scenario. The agency does not make projections and will only declare a winner when the result is mathematically certain, the AP said.