Alabama GOP lawmakers moved to toss out votes already cast for its May 19 primary amid a gerrymandering push without notifying voters of the changes.
According to reporting on Tuesday by Democracy Docket, the Alabama lawmakers began taking votes on Tuesday to change the congressional and state senate maps as a primary election is underway. The legislation in front of state lawmakers would allow the state to nullify votes already cast in some of the congressional races and later hold special elections under the new maps, the Democracy Docket reported.
Alabama lawmakers have also shot down efforts to let voters know about the changes. Democratic State Sen. Vivian Davis Figures lost an effort to pass an amendment to notify Alabama voters about the changes.
"Thank you to all of my colleagues for showing me once again who you are," she said, according to Democracy Docket.
Republican state Rep. Chris Pringle, the sponsor of a congressional redistricting bill, declined to explain to Alabama voters why the Legislature is making these changes, telling his lawmakers, "I'm not an attorney," per Democracy Docket. Similarly, GOP state Sen. Chris Elliot, a sponsor for a state senate redistricting bill, was accused of confusing Alabama voters, Democracy Docket reported.
