Resident alleges Anniston redistricting "cracked" Black voters, cites Voting Rights Act

A public commenter told the Anniston City Council that the city's draft redistricting plan "cracked" Black voters by moving 366 Black residents out of Ward 1 into Ward 2 and said the change amounted to a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

The commenter said the shift reduced Black electoral strength in Ward 1 and noted Ward 2 is already "73% African American," accusing the map-drawers of deliberately diluting minority voting power. "It is a violation here on the section 2 of the Voting Rights Act," the attendee said during the meeting's public comment period.

Why it matters: Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits voting practices that deny or abridge the right to vote on account of race. Allegations of cracking or packing minority populations can lead to legal challenges and require careful review by election officials and legal counsel.

Council did not record a response to the allegation in the transcript. The commenter added geographic detail to describe the shift—rom an area above a local Lowe's store into town around 23rd Street and the refuge—ut the meeting official interrupted to enforce the three-minute public-comment limit and directed the address to "Mr. Bradley" during the exchange. No formal action, vote, or staff presentation addressing the redistricting claim is recorded in the provided transcript.

The claim and the underlying map figures cited by the commenter remain unverified in the meeting record; the allegation was raised during public comment and, according to the transcript, was not answered on the floor that evening. Any decision or next step on the map is not documented in the excerpt.