A three-judge federal court ruled Tuesday that a Congressional district map approved by the Alabama Legislature in July did not fix a likely Voting Rights Act violation and has ordered a cartographer and special master appointed by the court to draw a new map.

The court had ruled last year, in a decision affirmed by the Supreme Court, that Alabama needed a second district where Black voters have an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.

But the map passed by the Legislature left one majority Black district out of seven in a state where 27% of residents are Black.

“Based on the evidence before us, including testimony from the Legislators, we have no reason to believe that allowing the Legislature still another opportunity to draw yet another map will yield a map that includes an additional opportunity district,” the court said in its order. “Moreover, counsel for the State has informed the Court that, even if the Court were to grant the Legislature yet another opportunity to draw a map, it would be practically impossible for the Legislature to reconvene and do so in advance of the 2024 election cycle. Accordingly, the Special Master and cartographer are DIRECTED to commence work forthwith on a remedial map. Instructions shall follow by separate order.”

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, issued a statement Tuesday morning praising the ruling as an affirmation of what the courts had ruled earlier in the case.

“Today’s decision is yet another victory for Black voters in Alabama and for the promise of fair representation,” Sewell said. “By appointing a special master to fairly redraw Alabama’s congressional map, the court has rejected the state legislature’s latest attempt to dilute the voices and voting power of African Americans all across our state.

“While we were outraged by the Alabama State Legislature’s open defiance of the Supreme Court’s original order to create two majority-minority districts, I am nonetheless grateful that a federal court has now intervened to protect the voices of Alabama’s Black voters.

“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is indeed alive and enforceable!”

The judges had held a hearing in the case last month. Lawyers for the state argued that the new map complied with the Voting Rights Act although they did not dispute that it did not create a second opportunity district for Black voters.

This story will be updated.