Alabama's Redistricting News
(May 27, 2001-January 6, 2002)

Montgomery Advertiser
Session Doesn't Settle Districts
By Mike Sherman
September 20, 2001

Alabama lawmakers ended a special legislative session Wednesday without agreeing on new plans for congressional and school board districts

The House and Senate never got together on how to adjust congressional districts to reflect results of the 2000 Census.

The Senate gave early bipartisan support to a plan endorsed by the state's seven congressmen. House members repeatedly split over plans that would have increased Democratic voting strength in the 3rd District, which U.S. Rep. Bob Riley, R-Ashland, is vacating to run for governor.

The House approved a plan to redraw the eight state Board of Education districts.  Thursday, the Senate sent back a plan to increase the number of districts to nine by creating a new district in central north Alabama.

"It's not going to work. This is like playing poker and deciding you want a 53-card deck instead of 52," said Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile.

House members refused to go along and approved a conference committee to work on the differences, but in a move that House members called unprecedented, the Senate refused to appoint its half of the committee and sent the bill back to the House.

Frustrated representatives adjourned for the session and the Senate soon followed their example.

House Speaker Seth Hammett, D-Andalusia, said although many items in the lengthy call for the session passed, including appropriation bills, he was disappointed that congressional and school board redistricting failed.

Because the Legislature failed to redraw the districts, the federal courts will.

"This puts it into the courts. There will be a fair hearing and the courts will stick to the rules. It is probably good for the citizens that it happened this way," said Sen. George Callahan, R-Mobile.

Alabama Times Daily
District Lines at Impasse
By Dana Beyerle
September 13, 2001

It appeared Wednesday that the House will fail to draw new congressional district lines in the special legislative session unless a major logjam about the bill is broken.

"There's an agreement not to bring (the redistricting) bill back up unless there's an agreement," House Speaker Seth Hammett said. "We spent five days on the bill, and unless there's an agreement, we feel there is an impasse."

Hammett's assessment, which is supported by other key legislators, means a court will likely be asked to draw the new district lines. The House has three remaining legislative days this session to get it done or could be called into another special session to redraw congressional district lines.

The Senate passed a congressional district plan sponsored by Sen. Jeff Enfinger, D-Huntsville, but divided Republicans, white Democrats and black lawmakers in the House are not able to agree on a consensus plan.

"Unless someone comes with a plan that can pass, there's no reason to bring it back up," said Rules Committee Chairman Jack Venable, D-Tallassee. "I see no agreement between either side."

The House adjourned with no congressional redistricting bill after attempts to redraw congressional district lines favorable to Democrats failed.

The House debated redistricting for about four hours before moving on to other legislation that was being held up by discussion about redistricting.

At stake is whether Democrats, who have only two of the state's seven congressional seats, can redraw U.S. House district lines to capture a third seat in next year's elections.

Republicans filibustered in an attempt to kill a controversial redistricting plan by House Majority Leader Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, that had been moved into position for a vote earlier this week.

Legislators tried to postpone indefinitely Guin's measure because the bill was holding up other measures that could still pass.

Since the Senate didn't leave the journal open Wednesday, the only way a House bill that was approved by Wednesday can pass is if the session lasts the maximum 12 working days allowed by law. Thursday will be the 10th legislative day.

Enfinger's redistricting plan was called a consensus plan because the state's five Republican and two Democrat congressmen gave it their blessing.

Rep. Nelson Starkey, D-Florence, said he suspects consensus is a misnomer because the congressional delegation is tilted.

"I suspect if I had been a fly on the wall, that the five Republican majority headed by congressman (Sonny) Callahan (R-Mobile) walked up to (Democrat U.S. Rep. Earl) Hilliard and (Democrat U.S. Rep. Bud) Cramer and said we have decided we want this if you'll go along with it to maintain the status quo," he said.

The Legislature is required to redraw congressional district lines every 10 years based on population changes noted by the census. A federal judge designed the current plan in 1993.

Rep. Bryant Melton, D-Tuscaloosa, said some blacks don't like the consensus plan because it puts too many black voters in districts represented by Republicans.

"We're going to talk this session to death," Melton said. "It may be we have to go to court rather than compromise."

The competing district plans would shift all of Lawrence County from the Fourth District represented by U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, to the Fifth District represented by Cramer, D-Huntsville.

Only a portion of northwest Lawrence County is now in Cramer's district.

Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, who is leading the charge to pass a revised consensus plan, said there weren't enough votes in the House to cut off debate and force a final vote.

Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, said competing interests attempted a compromise but he wasn't sure whether it could be accomplished.

Rep. Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, attempted to substitute the revised consensus plan he said is supported by the seven congressmen.

"I'm sure none of the seven was 100 percent happy, but they worked it out among themselves and worked out a deal they all could live with," Hubbard said.

Dana Beyerle can be reached at or [email protected] or (334) 264-6605.

Montgomery Advertiser

New districts face a duel in the House

By Mike Sherman

September 6, 2001
 

The stage is set in the Alabama House for a showdown as early as today between a congressional redistricting plan passed 30-1 by the Senate and a substitute plan adopted by a House committee to beef up Democratic chances in next year's elections.

The House Elections Committee rejected pleas by Senate leaders to adopt the Senate-passed plan which incumbent congressmen have said they can support.

"We needed a solid Democratic plan before the House. This is it," said Rep. Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, chairman of the committee, after the committee voted 7-6 to send the plan to the House for consideration.

The plans probably will be debated today. Furious Republicans tried to slow the

process late Wednesday.

"We are going to hold up the process until the consensus bill is treated fairly," said Rep. Perry Hooper, R- Montgomery.

"The governor needs to take a look at what is going on. This could kill his ethics and accountability bills and the lieutenant governor's, too," he said.

"Guin flagrantly attacks existing congressional district lines for the purpose of creating majority-Democratic House congressional districts," said Rep. Greg Wren, R-Montgomery.

Others liked the Guin plan.

"This is much closer to what I had in mind. This is a more equitable distribution," Rep. Thad McClammy, D-Montgomery, said.

Guin's plan makes the 3rd District more favorable for a Democrat and stretches the 1st District from Mobile County to Tuscaloosa County, through Choctaw, Marengo, Sumter, Greene and Hale counties.

Lawmakers are supposed to redraw congressional district lines following each census. Alabama lawmakers have not done that without court intervention in 40 years, according to state Sen. Jeff Enfinger, D-Huntsville, who fashioned the Senate-passed plan.

That plan also created a Democratic-leaning 3rd District in east Alabama where U.S. Rep. Bob Riley is leaving Congress to run for the Republican nomination for governor.

The tri-county area now has Autauga and Elmore counties and eastern Montgomery County in the 2nd District represented by U.S. Rep. Terry Everett. Western Montgomery County is represented in the 7th District by U.S. Rep. Earl Hilliard, D-Birmingham.

The Senate-passed "consensus" plan would split Autauga and Montgomery counties between Hilliard and Everett and leave all of Elmore with Everett.

Guin's plan would split Montgomery between the 7th and 2nd; split Autauga between the 6th, represented by U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Birmingham, and the 7th, and Elmore between the 6th and 2nd.

Joining Guin in voting for his plan were: Reps. George Bandy, D-Opelika; Priscilla Dunn, D-Bessemer; Steve Hurst, D-Munford; Eric Major, D-Fairfield; Joseph Mitchell, D-Mobile; and Jack Page, D-Gadsden.

Voting against with McKee were: James Hamilton, D-Rogersville; Sue Schmitz, D-Toney; Johnny Curry, R-Hueytown; Walter Penry, R-Daphne; and Chris Pringle, R-Mobile.

Birmingham News
Redistricting plan could boost Demo seats in Congress
David White
September 5, 2001

Alabama Democrats likely would gain two seats in Congress after next year's elections under a redistricting plan that a legislative panel could pass today, a key lawmaker said.

State Rep. Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, on Tuesday said he likely will have the votes to win approval of his revised congressional redistricting plan in the Elections Committee of the state House of Representatives.

Guin chairs the committee, which plans to meet at 9 a.m. today to review a redistricting plan passed by the state Senate last week.

That plan, drafted by Sen. Jeff Enfinger, D-Huntsville, would make few partisan changes to six of Alabama's seven congressional districts. It would make the 3rd District in east-central Alabama slightly more Democratic, though Republicans think they still could win the revised 3rd District.

Alabama's four Republican and two Democratic congressmen interested in seeking re-election next year all have endorsed Enfinger's plan.

But Guin predicted he would have the votes on the 15-member Elections Committee to replace the Senate-passed plan with a substitute plan that he and other Democrats developed in recent days.

"If all the people are at the committee meeting, I think we win," Guin said.

The substitute plan would make strongly Democratic districts out of both the 1st District, now represented by U.S. Rep. Sonny Callahan, R-Mobile, and the 3rd District, now represented by U.S. Rep. Bob Riley, R-Ashland, who plans to run for governor next year instead of re-election.

Guin said there probably would not be partisan switches next year in the other congressional districts because of his plan.

Alabama now has five Republican and two Democratic congressmen. Guin said his plan likely would shift that balance to four Democrats and three Republicans after next year's elections.

Such a shift could be huge, since Republicans maintain a thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives: 220 Republicans to 210 Democrats, along with two independents and three vacancies. A gain of two Democratic seats in Alabama could help Democrats seize control of the U.S. House.

Even if Guin's substitute were to win approval in the state House Elections Committee, however, it still would have to pass in the entire 105-member House and the 35-member Senate.

State Sen. George Callahan, R-Mobile, the brother of congressman Callahan, predicted Guin's substitute would never pass the Senate even if it were to pass the House Elections Committee and the full House.

"It ain't going to happen," Callahan said. "He can do what he wants to in his committee. It's time for him to stop Mickey Mouse-ing around. He's just putting his friends on the spot by doing this."

A federal court likely would have to redraw Alabama's congressional districts to reflect population shifts since 1990 if the state House and Senate fail to agree on one plan to pass into law.

Guin's substitute, as written Tuesday evening, would make relatively few changes to the 5th District, now represented by U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, or the 4th District, now represented by U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville.

The 6th District, now represented by U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, would lose all its current portion of Tuscaloosa County and east Bibb County, and lose southwest Shelby County. It would add St. Clair, Chilton and Autauga counties and south Blount counties.

The 3rd District would lose St. Clair and Chilton counties and west Bibb County but add Bullock, Barbour and Henry counties and east Houston County.

The 7th District, now represented by U.S. Rep. Earl Hilliard, D-Birmingham, would lose Sumter, Greene, Hale, Marengo and Choctaw counties and part of Clarke and Tuscaloosa counties. It would add Bibb, Butler, Conecuh, Crenshaw and Monroe counties and southwest Shelby and more of west Montgomery County.

The 1st District would lose Baldwin, Escambia and Monroe counties and south Mobile County. It would add Choctaw, Marengo, Sumter, Greene, Tuscaloosa and Hale counties and part of Clarke County.

The 2nd District would lose Autauga, Bullock, Barbour, Henry, Crenshaw, Butler, and Conecuh counties and east Houston County. It would add Baldwin and Escambia counties and south Mobile County.

Montgomery Advertiser

Senate approves district bill

By Mike Sherman

August 31, 2001
 

The Senate sponsor of a plan that redraws congressional district lines to increase chances of election of a third congressional Democrat from Alabama expects the plan to pass late next week or the following week.

The Senate passed 30-1 Thursday the bill approved by the state's incumbent Republican and Democratic congressmen who are seeking re-election.

An identical measure was postponed in the House, where some members argued that the redistricting plan should set up districts favorable to election of two more Democrats. The delegation is now split with five Republicans and two Democrats.

The compromise plan targets the 3rd District seat in east Alabama that U.S. Rep. Bob Riley, R-Ashland, is leaving to run for governor.

State Sen. Jeff Enfinger, D-Huntsville, sponsored the bill in the Senate, where it had bipartisan support.

"It has been 40 years since Alabama passed a congressional redistricting bill. It looks like we are on the way," Enfinger said. He said he expects passage late next week or the following week.

"This is a breakthrough plan that was signed off on by all the Republican and Democratic congressional members," said Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe.

Lt. Gov. Steve Windom, R-Mobile, said, "The plan does not have as many Republicans as we would like, but seeing as how we are outnumbered two-to-one, it is a pretty good plan."

In this area, the Senate-passed bill would split Autauga County, which is now in Republican U.S. Rep. Terry Everett's 2nd District, between Everett and Democratic U.S. Rep. Earl Hilliard in the 7th district. It also moves Bullock, Barbour and Henry counties from the 2nd to the 3rd.

State Rep. Mac Gipson, R-Prattville, complained on the House floor that Autauga could suffer from the split.

"Autauga is a progressive, growing county. Under this plan it would be hard to get solidarity when you've got a congressman from one party and a congressman from another," Gipson said.

Rep. Thad McClammy, D-Montgomery, said he has an alternate plan which would create two additional Democratic districts in the 2nd and 3rd districts. His 2nd District would start in Mobile County and extend through Montgomery to Macon and Bullock. His 3rd district would extend from Coffee County to Calhoun County.

Rep. John Knight, D-Montgomery, said the Senate-passed plan packs black voters into the 7th District, which extends from western Montgomery County to Birmingham and west to the Mississippi line.

He said he also favors at least two additional "very strong Democratic districts."

State Rep. Perry Hooper, R-Montgomery, said he believes the compromise bill will pass despite the House delay.

"Some members are concerned that they did not have enough input," he said. A delay will give others time to study other plans, such as McClammy's, he said.

The House also passed a plan to redraw the state's Board of Education district lines.

Knight was critical of that plan's District 4, represented by Ethel Bell, D-Fairfield, which includes portions of Jefferson, Shelby, Talladega and Calhoun counties.

"This plan will not withstand legal challenge. I will not tie up the House, but I cannot vote for it," Knight said. The House passed that bill 80-10. The Senate adjourned after beginning debate of its version of the school board plan.

Montgomery Advertiser

Democrats see power chance

By Mike Cason

August 29, 2001
 

Democrats in the Alabama Legislature see a chance to cut into a 5-2 Republican edge in the state's congressional delegation.

But they disagree over just how far to reach in their efforts to draw new district lines to help their party.

Gov. Don Siegelman called lawmakers into special session on Tuesday. The Legislature will address ethics reforms, some funding bills and other topics. But a primary goal for the session is to redraw district lines, which is required after every census.

Sen. Jeff Enfinger, D-Huntsville, said there is strong support for a plan he will introduce at a public hearing today. The most significant changes would be in the 3rd District, which covers much of east central Alabama. U.S. Rep. Bob Riley, R-Ashland, is running for governor and will not seek re-election. With no incumbent, Democrats see the district as one they could win. They can enhance their chances by changing the lines.

"It's a competitive district," Enfinger said.

His plan would take Chilton and Bibb counties from the 3rd District and add Cherokee, Henry, Barbour and Bullock counties. The black population of the district would increase from 25.5 percent to 28 percent, Enfinger said, a move that could help a Democratic candidate. Overall, though, Enfinger said the change was not "dramatic." He said his plan changed the other four Republican districts even less.

Democrats hold a 24-11 edge in the Senate and a 68-37 edge in the House, so they control the redistricting process. But some Republicans seemed generally happy with the Enfinger plan.

Lt. Gov. Steve Windom, a Republican, said the congressional delegation was supportive of Enfinger's plan. At least two of the congressmen, Rep. Terry Everett, R-Enterprise and Rep. Sonny Callahan, R-Mobile, were at the State House on Tuesday.

Windom said Republicans could still win the 3rd District under the Enfinger plan because 54 percent of those in the proposed district voted for President Bush.

"It's been a tossup district," Windom said. "It (the Enfinger plan) gives the Democrats more of a chance."

Rep. Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, said his party should try for more dramatic gains.

Guin has proposed a plan that he said would allow Democrats to claim the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th districts and make the 4th a "swing" district. Guin said he was skeptical of any plan supported by the congressional delegation.

"My question is, why would we accept a plan drawn by five Republicans and two Democrats," Guin said. "It's very important that we as Democratic legislators focus on creating more Democratic districts."

Republicans hold a 10-seat edge in the U.S. House of Representatives. That means the balance of power in Congress could hinge on battles over district lines like the one in Alabama.

Alabama's current congressional districts were drawn by a three-judge federal panel after former Gov. Guy Hunt sued over a plan drawn by the Legislature.

Lawmakers must also redraw district lines for the state's eight Board of Education districts.

Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, president pro tem of the Senate, said it could vote on a redistricting plan as early as Thursday.

The special session can last up to 12 meeting days within 30 calendar days.

Associated Press
Black political leader upset with redistricting design
By Phillip Rawls
July 4, 2001

Black political leader Joe Reed will complain to the U.S. Justice Department that the new political map for the Alabama Legislature changes the racial makeup of one district, which might reduce the number of blacks in the Legislature.

The southeast Alabama district represented by black state Rep. Locy Baker, D-Abbeville, changes from a majority of black citizens to a majority of whites. Baker said he's satisfied with the change and believes he can win re-election.

"I've won twice in the district. If I don't win again, it will be because of something I've not done. It won't be because of my race," he said.

Joe Reed, who designed the legislative districts Alabama has used since 1994, doesn't like the change.

"I get tired of fighting like hell to get things for black folks, and then black legislators give it away," said Reed, chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference, the black wing of the Alabama Democratic Party.

The Legislature approved new districts on Monday, and Gov. Don Siegelman signed them into law on Tuesday. They won't take effect for the 2002 elections unless the U.S. Justice Department says they comply with the 1965 Voting Rights Act and they survive any challenges in state and federal court.

"I do believe this will pass constitutional muster," Siegelman said at a bill-signing ceremony Tuesday.

Reed said his organization has made no decision about mounting a legal challenge, but will take exception to Baker's district when the plan is reviewed by the Justice Department. If the Justice Department objects to the design of Baker's district, the Legislature would have an opportunity to meet again and alter the district lines, Reed said.

Reed was the architect of the legislative map that increased black representation in the Legislature in 1994, including turning House District 85 into a majority black district. The district elected Baker for the first time in 1994 and re-elected him in 1998.

The new redistricting plan changes Baker's district from 51 percent black to 48 percent black. Whites will make up 50.4 percent of the district.

Rep. Marcel Black, the chief designer of the new House districts, and legislative lawyers contend that's no problem because the adjoining district represented by white Rep. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton, was redrawn so that it goes from 38 percent black to 52 percent black.

They say the result would be that the House keeps the same number of majority black districts that it has had since 1994 � 27 out of 105 districts � and there is no reduction that would raise problems with the Voting Rights Act.

Reed said the numbers don't tell the whole story. The census numbers for Beasley's district includes three state prisons that are predominantly black, but inmates can't vote. That means the black voting population of the district may not be a majority, and it could be difficult to elect a black candidate in that district, particularly with Beasley's popularity.

Baker said local officials are happy with the way the district lines turned out, and Reed should accept it.

"This individual who is raising so much sand doesn't live in the district, doesn't pay taxes in the district, and has not come down to the district to see what the people want," Baker said.

Reed concedes that it will be hard to challenge the district designs because Baker and many black legislators voted for them, but he has had repeated successes at the Justice Department in the past.

Disputed Districts Design

Design of two legislative districts changing racial makeup:

House District 84

Incumbent: White Democrat Billy Beasley of Clayton

Old area: Barbour County and part of Henry County

Old racial makeup: 62 percent white, 38 percent black

New area: Barbour County and part of Bullock County

New racial makeup: 52 percent black, 46 percent white, 2 percent other

House District 85

Incumbent: Black Democrat Locy Baker of Abbeville

Old area: Parts of Henry, Houston and Dale counties

Old racial makeup: 51 percent black, 47 percent white, 2 percent other

New area: Henry County and part of Houston County

New racial makeup: 50 percent white, 48 percent black, 2 percent other

Montgomery Advertiser
House, Senate approve districts
By Mike Sherman
July 3, 2001

Legislation pushed by the Democratic leadership that redraws House and Senate districts has moved to Gov. Don Siegelman's office.

Lawmakers ended their six-day special session Monday after approving redistricting plans on party-line votes.

The governor announced he will sign the bills into law this morning, setting the stage for an expected court challenge by Republicans.

Democrats praised the plan as an historic first successful effort to redraw district lines. Republicans called it a flawed effort to dilute GOP voting strength.

Computer errors that removed census blocks in many counties forced a late rewrite of the bills.

"I think we did a pretty good job," said Sen. Charles Langford, D-Montgomery.

The House and Senate plans must win U.S. Justice Department approval as well as survive any lawsuits filed by Republicans.

Langford said he thinks the plans will pass both tests.

Rep. Perry Hooper, R-Montgomery, disagreed with Langford.

"I'm against the plans. I'm glad the Legislature addressed redistricting, but there are questions about packing and repacking districts to protect legislative seats. Now we will find out what happens in court," Hooper said.

Legislation providing that legal challenges to the plans must be filed in circuit court in Montgomery also passed.

Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery, said his district drops from about 76 percent black to 70 percent black, but he voted for the plan.

"The Department of Justice will say it is not discriminatory because it maintains 27 black House districts and eight black Senate districts," he said.

"It is historic that the Legislature passed the plan," said Rep. Thad McClammy, D-Montgomery. He predicted court challenges will not be successful.

"Challenges are normally on racial criteria. I think this one met the standards," McClammy said.

Rep. Mac Gipson, R-Prattville, said, "If it passes Justice Department muster, Republicans will question in court why they are not represented equally." Formerly the only representative in Autauga County, Gipson's new district includes eastern Autauga County and western Elmore County.

"I've still got Autauga County and my district includes my businesses in Millbrook and Prattville. I'll take care of them all," Gipson said.

Rep. James Thomas, D-Camden, will represent western Autauga County.

"I had to gain 10,000 people. The only place to go was Autauga County. Dallas and western Autauga are contiguous and rural. I hope I will get a good vote in Autauga. I'm pleased and I'm confident," Thomas said.

House Speaker Seth Hammett, D-Andalusia, said the governor probably will call lawmakers back in another special session in late August to redraw congressional and state school board district lines and pass a series of appropriation bills not approved in the regular session.

Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, sponsor of the House plan, said the plan should be moved to the Justice Department by the end of summer.

New Districts

A glance at the new districts approved by the Legislature on Monday:

Senate plan: Sponsored by Sen. Jeff Enfinger, it redrew the 35 Senate districts without putting two incumbents in the same district. It is designed to at least maintain the Democrats' 24-11 margin in the Senate, as well as the eight majority black districts. The plan ends the Legislature's practice of having three House districts within each Senate district.

Pros  Cons: Enfinger worked out problems that Alabama Democratic Conference Chairman Joe Reed had with the plan's design in the Montgomery area, but Republicans are already planning to challenge it in court.

House plan: Sponsored by Rep. Marcel Black, it re-drew the 105 House districts by creating three districts with no incumbents and three districts with two incumbents each. Of those incumbents, five are Republicans and one is a Democrat. The House district lines do not correspond to Senate district lines. The plan is designed to at least maintain the Democrats' 68-37 margin in the House. It also includes 27 majority black districts, the same number as now exists.

Pros  Cons: Republicans contend the plan benefits Democrats by packing Republicans into as few districts as possible. They expect a court fight, which could take months.

Mike Sherman covers state government for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached at 240-0131 or by fax at 261-1521.

The Northwest Alabama Times Daily
Next stop for plan may be in courts: Lawmakers approve map for redistricting
By Dana Beyerle
July 3, 2001

The Legislature took an unprecedented step Monday by approving House and Senate district plans, but the next step will be state or federal court -- or both.

"I'm delighted the Legislature has fulfilled its constitutional responsibility,'' House Speaker Seth Hammett, D-Andalusia, said at the end of the 2001 special session. "We have followed good legal advice."

The special session was called June 25 by Gov. Don Siegelman to draw new House and Senate district lines required by population changes noted in the 2000 census.

The plans would double the size of one Shoals legislator's district and increase Senate representation from Lawrence County. Other than those changes, the Shoals' legislative map will look pretty much the same as it has since 1993.

"I'm assured by the House delegation that this plan is fair and disrupts as few House members in the state as possible,'' Sen. Bobby Denton, D-Muscle Shoals, said.

Republicans, unhappy with the plans, however, went to federal court in Mobile before the Legislature began meeting. Democrats countered with a bill that requires any court action to be heard in Montgomery County Circuit Court.

Rep. Tim Parker, R-Tuscaloosa, one of the opponents of the plan, said he hopes it goes to court.

"The grounds are blatant discrimination and breaking up communities of interest, ignoring city lines and county lines, you take your choice,'' Parker said.

The Democrat-dominated House passed the Senate district plan 57-37, and the Senate passed the House plan 21-8, with both votes falling along party lines. Democrats have a 24-11 advantage in the Senate.

The House plan has two Republican incumbents placed in other districts; Republicans say the remaining districts favor Democrats.

Both plans had to be amended on the floor of the House and Senate because the reapportionment office inadvertently left out 200 voting precincts in the Senate bill and 100 precincts in the House bill, said Sen. Jeff Enfinger, D-Huntsville, author of the Senate remap plan.

"We've got a bill that we believe is 100 percent accurate and legal, and we feel very good about what the reapportionment office has done,'' Enfinger said.

Siegelman's legal adviser was reviewing the bills, a spokesman said.

Legislators and legislative candidates will have to win the 105 new House districts and the 35 new Senate districts next spring and fall unless the plans fail U.S. Justice Department scrutiny or are changed by a court. Sen. President Pro Tem Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, said he believes the plan will pass court muster because courts are reluctant to get involved in legislative acts.

The Legislature had to draw Senate districts that contain an ideal population of 127,060 people, plus or minus 5 percent. The House deal district is 42,353 people, plus or minus 5 percent.

Republicans claim that some of the districts are too small or too large and violate the one man, one vote principle. The House plan doubles the size of Florence Democratic Rep. Nelson Starkey's district, which is the city of Florence.

Starkey picked up residents west of Florence in the bend of the Tennessee River in order to contain sufficient population to be a legal district.

Rep. James Hamilton, D-Rogersville, lost the voters because his district gained population between the 1990 and 2000 census.

Denton kept virtually his entire current Senate district in Colbert and Lauderdale counties.

The biggest change for northwest Alabama is in Lawrence County, which will get two senators.

Sen. Tommy Ed Roberts, D-Hartselle, lost Lawrence County and gained voters in Morgan County.

Picking up Lawrence County will be Sen. Zeb Little, D-Cullman, and Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville.

Rep. Jody Letson, D-Moulton, will pick up the northeastern 25 percent of Winston County.

The House and Senate will have to return to Montgomery for special session, probably the last week in August, to draw new congressional and state school board district lines and pass appropriation bills that failed during the regular legislative session that ended May 21.

The Northwest Alabama Times Daily
Battle begins Monday night on redistricting
By Dana Beyerle and Mike Goens
June 24, 2001

Dana Beyerle can be reached at [email protected] or (334) 264-6605.

Mike Goens can be reached at [email protected] or 740-5740.

The Northwest Alabama Times Daily
Plans for redistricting unveiled today
By Dana Beyerle
June 22, 2001

Two proposed legislative reapportionment plans will be unveiled today in preparation for the special legislative session scheduled Monday to redraw House and Senate districts.

The Senate reapportionment plan is scheduled to be revealed by Sen. Jeff Enfinger, D-Huntsville, at a 9:30 a.m. news conference in the State House. A reapportionment plan developed by the Alabama Democratic Conference is scheduled to be shown at a 2 p.m. news conference at the Alabama Education Association office.

"We'll have maps and explanations,'' Enfinger said.

Enfinger said his Senate plan, which probably will be the version chosen by the Democratic-controlled Senate, does not put two incumbents into one district.

"I don't think anybody is 100 percent happy with the plan,'' said Enfinger, who added that he believes the plan will have at least the 21 votes necessary to stop an expected filibuster by Republicans and pass.

The Legislature is scheduled to go into special session at 6 p.m. Monday to consider redrawing the 105 House districts and the 35 state Senate districts, a task required every 10 years after a Census.

The Legislature has never successfully reapportioned itself, relying instead on the courts. And this time could be no different since there are now two lawsuits filed against legislative reapportionment, both by Republicans.

The House plan won't be revealed until at least Monday, said Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, the co-chairman of the joint legislative committee on reapportionment.

The Legislature also plans to create districts that no  longer will nest three House districts neatly into one Senate district. Lauderdale and Colbert counties are not expected to see much change in their elected representatives.

Dana Beyerle can be reached at  or [email protected] or (334) 264-6605.

Newhouse News Service
GOP seeks court oversight of redistricting
Mary Orndorff
June 21, 2001

 The Alabama Legislature won't start work until next week, but Republicans are already in court saying that whatever congressional redistricting plan lawmakers approve won't be good enough.

 "Judging from the history of the Alabama Legislature, both its inability to make decisions on this and/or its political proclivity, it tells us the smart thing is to make sure we have some federal supervision of the whole process," said Marty Connors, chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

 The lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in Mobile on behalf of three voters, asks a federal judge to take jurisdiction in the case because the Legislature ended its regular session without redrawing the districts. Lawmakers are required to draw new district lines based on the 2000 Census.

 Democrats declared the lawsuit an end run on the democratic process. "It is an insult to the people of Alabama and an affront to the federal court," said Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Redding Pitt. He said he hopes state officials ask the judge in the case to "exercise judicial restraint" and allow legislators to approve a redistricting plan.

 Gov. Don Siegelman has called a special session to begin Monday to redraw legislative districts. Historically, state lawmakers have failed to agree on new political boundaries for legislative and congressional districts.

 The Department of Justice has objected to the Legislature's plans in the past, and the courts have had to step in.

 Jerome Gray, state field director for the Alabama Democratic Conference, said the executive committee of the black wing of the party meets this weekend and may discuss whether to try to move the issue into state courts.

The Northwest Alabama Times Daily
Lawmakers consider redistricting scenarios
By Dana Beyerle
May 27, 2001

The holdout on a congressional redistricting plan says he is nearly ready to put his signature to the document that will be given to the Alabama Legislature this summer.

U.S. Rep. Earl Hilliard, a Democrat from Birmingham, has yet to approve a congressional redistricting plan approved by the state's six other congressmen. U.S. senators who run statewide are not subject to districts.

"I'm about 99 percent there,'' Hilliard said last week. "They made some changes and adjustments, and we've almost got a plan that will be acceptable.''

Those changes will affect Bibb, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties in west Alabama. They will impact U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, a Republican from Vestavia Hills whose district includes parts of Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby and Tuscaloosa counties.

Hilliard's district has gone through the most dramatic change of all seven congressional districts since the 1990 census.

Based on the 2000 census, Hilliard's 7th District will have to gain 90,000 people to meet the ideal population requirement of 635,300 for a congressional district and affect the six other districts, which all must lose between 8,000 and 29,500 people. Hilliard said that at least one-third of what he needs will have to come from Bachus' district.

"It's going to make Spencer's district less Republican because I'm drawing more out of his district,'' said Hilliard, elected in 1992 as the state's first African-American in Congress since Reconstruction.

Hilliard's district includes part of predominantly Democratic Pickens County, but he believes he'll get all of Pickens County from the 4th District represented by U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville.

"I don't want to increase the number of counties, so basically what is happening is I've got parts of four counties, so I'm taking more of four counties,'' he said. "The bulk is going to come out of Birmingham and Montgomery.''

Bachus, who represents part of Tuscaloosa County, will have to lose about 29,500 residents in order to meet the ideal district population size.

His press secretary, Jeff Emerson, said his district could pick up part of Tuscaloosa County and part of southern Walker County; and lose some or all of Bibb County in addition to losing parts of Jefferson County.

Aderholt's district could stay much the same because the district would have to lose only 8,000 people. His district includes Franklin County and most of Lawrence County.

Grace Robinson, the press secretary for U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, a Democrat from Huntsville whose district includes the Shoals, said several plans have floated around.

Cramer's district will have to lose nearly 20,000 people, and he may accomplish that by shifting district lines in Morgan and Lawrence counties.

"We are early in the process, and there are many plans being floated around,'' Cramer said in a statement. "But I'm certain the plan will continue to evolve as the state Legislature begins to look at it.''

Congressional districts aren't the only election areas that will have to be changed this year.

Gov. Don Siegelman said he would call the Legislature into session in late June or early July to consider reapportioning the population of the state's 105 House districts and 35 Senate districts.

The Legislature has never reapportioned itself -- courts have done it before -- but party and legislative leaders are hopeful this time will be different.

"We want this to be done in the Legislature,'' said state Democratic Party Chairman Redding Pitt.

The dominant Democratic political party has protection as its goal, said Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, co-chairman of the joint legislative reapportionment committee.

"Our goal is to look at it from a standpoint of population and where it shifted and take into consideration incumbent protection and where that can be held in the compactness of districts,'' Black said.

Population changes show that whites moved into urban and rural areas during the 1990s; that may mean Republican gains.

Pitt said legislators are using party equipment to work on reapportionment plans. But as for trying to stretch more Democratic districts, "that probably won't be the case,'' he said.

A Republican lawmaker disagrees with Pitt. "That's where politics come into play because they are going to protect their Democrats at the expense of Republicans,'' said state Rep. Tim Parker, R-Tuscaloosa.

The last time a court redrew boundaries, Republicans beat Democrats to a federal court and got districts that resulted in three Republicans and one black being elected to Congress.

State reapportionment was accomplished by a judge who created the most-ever black legislative districts.

"I think there's some consensus that we don't want to lose any black districts, and we're not going to, but there's no push to increase the number because that's not something that appears feasible,'' Pitt said.

"The main thing is we'll try to protect the districts we have,'' said Jerome Gray, field director for the Alabama Democratic Conference, the black wing of the state party.

The 2001 Senate has eight black senators, and the House has 26 black lawmakers. That's 24 percent of the 140 seats, roughly equal the state's racial makeup.

"Virtually all of the black districts are underpopulated, so they're going to have to gain population and that's doable, and, of course, that runs into the issue of, in doing so, you have to maintain good districting principles and identify Democratic voting precincts,'' Gray said.

Siegelman would have to call a second special session to redraw the seven congressional districts and the eight school board districts.

"The talk from the (reapportionment) committee is they want to do legislative first and then do the school board and Congress,'' said Bonnie Shanholtzer, supervisor of the legislative reapportionment office.

Population numbers aren't completely collected for two of the state's eight school board districts, the fourth and sixth.

But it's clear that school board District 7 represented by Sandra Ray of Tuscaloosa probably won't change much. With 555,846 people, it's nearly the ideal district population of 555,888. District 7 includes the Shoals.

Dana Beyerle can be reached at [email protected] or (334) 264-6605.