Alabama State Senate Districts
Below you'll find an alternative to Alabama’s Senate districts. This comparison will show a different interpretation of how representative districts ought to be drawn. The numbering of the districts in the map below keeps to the actual numbering as close as possible. Trying to recreate the actual districts was not practical using DRA since there are many split voting precincts. Therefore, only images of my districts will be shown. Since I was unable to find demographic data for the new court ordered districts, my comparison will be between my version and the version used in 2014/drawn after 2010. Most districts were unchanged. (Alabama legislative elections are held every four years).
Northern Alabama 1-10, 12
This region includes areas such as the Highland Rim, Cumberland Plateau, and the Alabama Valley and Ridge. Some of the most Republican parts of the state and country are in this region. There's only one Democratic leaning district here and it only exists in my version. All the remaining districts are solidly Republican. My version makes the districts more compact and practical.
The 1st district is centered on the Florence area. It now encompasses all of Lauderdale County and takes in parts of Colbert and Limestone counties. The 2nd takes in the rest of Limestone and part of Madison County. Compared to the actual 2nd, this district cuts the Black percentage in half, allowing for the 3rd to consolidate Huntsville's Black population. My 3rd district is plurality Black with a total Black population of 43%. The VAP is plurality White, but the Black VAP is at 42%. Huntsville is the largest city in this part of the state and is the only place with a reliable, but small, Democratic base. The district has a PVI of D+9. The actual map has two districts that are a quarter Black, thus preventing a Democratic district and thereby a Black opportunity district, from existing. The rest of Madison County is put into the 7th and is solidly Republican.
The 4th district is in the Decatur area taking in all of Lawrence and most of Morgan counties. The 5th is based in the Cullman area, and to some degree Birmingham suburbs, taking in all of Walker and most of Cullman counties. The 6th is a very rural district taking in Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Marion, Winston, and part of Colbert counties. The 8th is based out of the Albertville and Scottsboro areas, being comprised of Jackson and Marshall counties, along with a part of Morgan County. The 9th takes one whole county, Blount, and parts of others such as, Cullman, Etowah, and St. Clair. The northeastern 10th gets most of its population from DeKalb. It also takes in all of Cherokee and parts of Etowah and Jackson counties. Finally, the 12th, centered on the Gadsden and Anniston areas, takes in parts of Calhoun and Etowah counties, including the city of Gadsden.
Central Alabama 11, 13-21
Starting outside of Jefferson County, the 11th district is a Talladega-Anniston district. All of Talladega County and much of Calhoun County, including the city of Anniston, are in this district. It's not a very Republican district relative to the typical mostly White Alabama district, as it has a PVI of R+11. Toward the east lies the 13th, a district that takes in nearly all of the Piedmont Upland region. Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Randolph, Tallapoosa counties make up this district. The 14th is a suburban/exurban district that takes in all of Bibb and Chilton counties as well as part of Shelby County. The 15th is mostly Shelby County and part of St. Clair County. Over in Tuscaloosa County is the 21st, which cedes part of the county to a Black Belt district.
My version of the Jefferson County districts brings significant change. First, there are only five districts here, four of which are entirely within the county. There are still three Black districts, but they're unpacked. (It should be noted that the actual districts have undergone a court ordered change to unpack Black voters). The 17th is 52% Black with a Black VAP of 51%, the 19th is 51% Black with a Black VAP of 49%, and the 20th is 53% Black with a Black VAP of 49%. The 18th district is a newly competitive district with a D+2 PVI. It has a large Black voting bloc with a Black VAP at 32%. The 16th is now the only solidly Republican district here.
Black Belt 23-28, 30
There's a new Black district in my version: the 25th. This is accomplished by unpacking the 26th district in Montgomery County. That district's Black population reached 76%, whereas my 26th reaches 54%. The 25th now has a Black population of 55% and a Black VAP of 53%. The only other major changes here are with compactness and unpacking. The 23rd, 24th, 26th, and 28th remain Black districts. The 23rd loses Lowndes, Butler counties, as well as parts of Conecuh, Marengo and Monroe counties, while it picks up all of Clarke, Choctaw, and Washington counties. The 24th now takes in all of Pickens and Marengo, while losing Choctaw and exchanging territory in Tuscaloosa. The 28th loses part of Houston County and takes more of Lee County. Most of Lee County, including the city of Auburn, now makes up the 27th district. Autauga and Elmore counties make up the 30th district.
Southern Alabama 22, 29, 31-35
Like previous regions, the districts here don't change much in terms of partisanship or demographics, with few exceptions. The 22nd takes in all of Covington and Escambia counties along with parts of Baldwin, Conecuh, and Monroe counties. The 29th, centered in the Dothan area, takes in all of Geneva and Houston counties, and part of Dale County. The 31st takes in the rest of Dale County, as well as all of Coffee, Crenshaw, and Pike Counties. The 32nd takes in most of Baldwin County, including the city of Daphne. All of these districts are heavily White and Republican.
In Mobile County there is, of course, unpacking of Black voters from the 33rd in the city proper. The actual 33rd has a Black percentage of 72%. This is unpacked in my 33rd to 51%. The Black VAP is a plurality 47% and it has a PVI of D+10. This allows the neighboring 34th to now become a competitive district increasing its Black population from 15% to 38%. My 34th has a PVI of R+6 and a Black VAP of 36%. This district went to McCain and Romney by about 3% in 2008 and 2012.
Alabama’s Senate map surely has districts that pack and dilute Black voting strength, which therefore weakens Democratic performance. By consolidating and/or unpacking Black voters where appropriate, more competitive districts arise like the 18th and 36th. There's also a slight increase in the potential for Black representation with the 3rd and 25th. Thank you for reading.
The maps were created using Dave’s Redistricting App: gardow.com/…
The charts and data were assembled using spreadsheets via Stephen Wolf’s guide: www.dailykos.com/…
The Statistical Atlas was used to match the district numbering: statisticalatlas.com/…
Google Images aided in determining the regional breakdown
Links to the Mississippi maps
Alternative Districts: Mississippi State Senate
Alternative Districts: Mississippi State House of Representatives