# Alabama's 7th congressional district

Alabama's 7th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Alabama that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. The district encompasses Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Pickens, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties, and portions of Clarke, Jefferson, and Tuscaloosa counties. The district encompasses portions of the Birmingham, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa/Northport urban areas. The largest city entirely within the district is Selma.
The district has been majority nonwhite, with a majority of African-American residents, since the redistricting following the 1990 census. As such, and with a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+14, it is the most Democratic district in Alabama. However, the district is set to be adjusted due to the judicial selection of a new congressional map as a result of the case Allen v. Milligan, with its share of Montgomery and half of Clarke County to be shifted to the 2nd district and a portion of Tuscaloosa County is given to the 4th district. It is currently represented by Democrat Terri Sewell.

## Character

Alabama's 7th congressional district was first defined in 1843; it has continued since then with the exception of the years 1867–1873 during the Reconstruction era. The geographic area represented by this district has changed over time, depending upon the number of U.S. Representatives apportioned to Alabama. Around the turn of the 20th century, the district included the city of Gadsden. Over time, the district was redefined to include the area around Tuscaloosa. The last two representatives for the district before its reconfiguration as a majority-minority area were Richard Shelby and Claude Harris, both Tuscaloosa residents.
The shape of the current district was largely established in 1992, when it was reconstituted as a majority-minority district under provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended in 1982 to encourage greater representation for minorities in Congress. Half of the western Alabama portion of the district was moved to the 4th district, and a large portion of Tuscaloosa County was moved into the 6th district, which had primarily been based around Birmingham. To counter the loss in population and to create the majority-minority, many counties from the Black Belt region, a rural expanse in Alabama with a high proportion of African-American residents descended from workers on cotton plantations, were added to the district, as was an arm extending from Tuscaloosa roughly along the Interstate 20/59 corridor into Jefferson County to take in most of the black precincts of Birmingham. Most of Birmingham's white residents remained in the 6th district. The three representatives elected from the district following reconfiguration—Earl F. Hilliard, Artur Davis, and Terri Sewell—have all been residents of Birmingham.
Mostly minor changes in the following two redistrictings have not substantially changed the shape of the district. But, western portions of Montgomery County have been restored to this district, including large swaths of inner-city Montgomery in the redistricting following the 2010 census. This area had earlier been removed after the 2000 census. The district contains urbanized areas of Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa, and ten of the fourteen rural counties in the Black Belt. Three of the state's largest colleges are located in the district: Alabama State University in Montgomery, the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Alabama's 7th Congressional district is a good example of a state that has experienced partisan gerrymandering over the last decade. In the 2010 redistricting cycle, Republicans drew district lines to pack together several major Democratic communities into a single district, ensuring that Democrats were only elected to one seat. Alabama's District 7 reaches into several other districts' regions to pick out Democratic voters. The 7th district is the most gerrymandered in the state.
Democrats have represented the 7th district in all but 6 years since 1843.

## Recent election results from statewide races

A majority of voters in the district are African Americans who support the Democratic Party and its candidates.
| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 63% - 36% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 65% - 35% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 62% - 36% |
| 2016 | Senate | Crumpton 62% - 38% |
| 2017 | Senate (Spec.) | Jones 74% - 25% |
| 2018 | Governor | Maddox 67% - 33% |
| 2018 | Lt. Governor | Boyd 66% - 34% |
| 2018 | Attorney General | Siegelman 67% - 33% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 64% - 35% |
| 2020 | Senate | Jones 66% - 34% |
| 2022 | Senate | Boyd 60% - 38% |
| 2022 | Governor | Flowers 58% - 39% |
| 2022 | Attorney General | Major 61% - 39% |
| 2022 | Secretary of State | Laffitte 60% - 37% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 61% - 37% |

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history | Location |
| District created March 4, 1843 ||||||
| Felix Grundy McConnell (Talladega) | Democratic | March 4, 1843 – September 10, 1846 | 28th 29th | Elected in 1843. Re-elected in 1845. Died. | 1843–1853 [data missing] |
| Vacant | Vacant | September 10, 1846 – December 7, 1846 | 29th | | 1843–1853 [data missing] |
| Franklin Welsh Bowdon (Talladega) | Democratic | December 7, 1846 – March 3, 1851 | 29th 30th 31st | Elected to finish McConnell's term. Re-elected in 1847. Re-elected in 1849. Retired. | 1843–1853 [data missing] |
| Alexander White (Talladega) | Whig | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | 32nd | Elected in 1851. Retired. | 1843–1853 [data missing] |
| James Ferguson Dowdell (Chambers) | Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | 33rd | Elected in 1853. Redistricted to the 3rd district. | 1853–1863 [data missing] |
| Sampson Willis Harris (Wetumpka) | Democratic | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | 34th | Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 1855. Retired. | 1853–1863 [data missing] |
| Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry (Talladega) | Democratic | March 4, 1857 – January 21, 1861 | 35th 36th | Elected in 1857. Re-elected in 1859. Withdrew due to Civil War. | 1853–1863 [data missing] |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 21, 1861 – March 3, 1863 | 36th 37th | Members withdrew during the American Civil War. | 1853–1863 [data missing] |
| District eliminated in 1863 and re-established in 1877 ||||||
| William H. Forney (Jacksonville) | Democratic | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1893 | 45th 46th 47th 48th 49th 50th 51st 52nd | Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Retired. | 1877–1893 [data missing] |
| William Henry Denson (Gadsden) | Democratic | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | 53rd | Elected in 1892. Lost renomination. | 1893–1903 [data missing] |
| Milford W. Howard (Fort Payne) | Populist | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899 | 54th 55th | Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Retired. | 1893–1903 [data missing] |
| John L. Burnett (Gadsden) | Democratic | March 4, 1899 – May 13, 1919 | 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th | Elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Died. | 1893–1903 [data missing] |
| John L. Burnett (Gadsden) | Democratic | March 4, 1899 – May 13, 1919 | 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th | Elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Died. | 1913–1933 [data missing] |
| Vacant | Vacant | May 13, 1919 – September 30, 1919 | 66th | | 1913–1933 [data missing] |
| Lilius Bratton Rainey (Gadsden) | Democratic | September 30, 1919 – March 3, 1923 | 66th 67th | Elected to finish Burnett's term. Re-elected in 1920. Retired. | 1913–1933 [data missing] |
| Miles C. Allgood (Allgood) | Democratic | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1933 | 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Redistricted to the 5th district. | 1913–1933 [data missing] |
| William B. Bankhead (Jasper) | Democratic | March 4, 1933 – September 15, 1940 | 73rd 74th 75th 76th | Redistricted from the 10th district and re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Died. | 1933–1943 [data missing] |
| Vacant | Vacant | September 15, 1940 – November 5, 1940 | 76th | | 1933–1943 [data missing] |
| Zadoc L. Weatherford (Red Bay) | Democratic | November 5, 1940 – January 3, 1941 | 76th | Elected to finish William Bankhead's term. Retired. | 1933–1943 [data missing] |
| Walter W. Bankhead (Jasper) | Democratic | January 3, 1941 – February 1, 1941 | 77th | Elected in 1940. Resigned. | 1933–1943 [data missing] |
| Vacant | Vacant | February 1, 1941 – June 24, 1941 | 77th | | 1933–1943 [data missing] |
| Carter Manasco (Jasper) | Democratic | June 24, 1941 – January 3, 1949 | 77th 78th 79th 80th | Elected to finish Walter Bankhead's term. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Lost renomination. | 1933–1943 [data missing] |
| Carl Elliott (Jasper) | Democratic | January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1963 | 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th | Elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Redistricted to the At-large district. | 1953–1963 [data missing] |
| District inactive | District inactive | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1965 | 88th | All representatives elected at-large on a general ticket. | All representatives elected at-large on a general ticket. |
| James D. Martin (Gadsden) | Republican | January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967 | 89th | Elected in 1964. Retired to run for Governor. | 1965–1973 [data missing] |
| Tom Bevill (Jasper) | Democratic | January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973 | 90th 91st 92nd | Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Redistricted to the 4th district. | 1965–1973 [data missing] |
| Walter Flowers (Tuscaloosa) | Democratic | January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1979 | 93rd 94th 95th | Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. | 1973–1983 [data missing] |
| Richard Shelby (Tuscaloosa) | Democratic | January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1987 | 96th 97th 98th 99th | Elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Retired to run for U.S. senator. | 1983–1993 [data missing] |
| Claude Harris Jr. (Tuscaloosa) | Democratic | January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1993 | 100th 101st 102nd | Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Retired. | 1983–1993 [data missing] |
| Earl Hilliard (Birmingham) | Democratic | January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003 | 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th | Elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Lost renomination. | 1993–2003 [data missing] |
| Artur Davis (Birmingham) | Democratic | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2011 | 108th 109th 110th 111th | Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Retired to run for Governor. | 2003–2013 |
| Terri Sewell (Birmingham) | Democratic | January 3, 2011 – present | 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2003–2013 |
| Terri Sewell (Birmingham) | Democratic | January 3, 2011 – present | 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2013–2023 |
| Terri Sewell (Birmingham) | Democratic | January 3, 2011 – present | 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2023–2025 |
| Terri Sewell (Birmingham) | Democratic | January 3, 2011 – present | 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2025–present |

## Recent election results

These are the results from the previous twelve election cycles in Alabama's 7th district.

### 2002

2002 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Artur Davis | 153,735 | 92.44 |
| | Libertarian | Lauren Orth McCay | 12,100 | 7.28 |
| | Write-In | Write-ins | 474 | 0.29 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 166,309 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2004

2004 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Artur Davis (Incumbent) | 183,408 | 74.97 |
| | Republican | Steve Cameron | 61,019 | 24.94 |
| | Write-In | Write-ins | 211 | 0.09 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 244,638 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

2006 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Artur Davis (Incumbent) | 133,870 | 99.04 |
| | Write-In | Write-ins | 1,297 | 0.96 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 135,167 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2008

2008 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Artur Davis (Incumbent) | 228,518 | 98.63 |
| | Write-In | Write-ins | 3,183 | 1.37 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 231,701 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2010

2010 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Terri Sewell | 136,223 | 72.42 |
| | Republican | Don Chamberlain | 51,882 | 27.58 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 188,105 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2012

2012 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Terri Sewell (Incumbent) | 232,520 | 75.90 |
| | Republican | Don Chamberlain | 73,835 | 24.10 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 306,355 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

2014 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Terri Sewell (Incumbent) | 133,687 | 98.37 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 2,212 | 1.63 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 135,899 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

2016 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Terri Sewell (Incumbent) | 229,330 | 98.41 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 3,698 | 1.59 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 233,028 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Terri Sewell (Incumbent) | 185,010 | 97.80 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 4,153 | 2.20 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 189,163 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

2020 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Terri Sewell (incumbent) | 225,742 | 97.16 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 6,589 | 2.84 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 232,331 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2022

2022 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Terri Sewell (incumbent) | 123,060 | 63.53 |
| | Republican | Beatrice Nichols | 67,353 | 34.77 |
| | Libertarian | Gavin Goodman | 3,207 | 1.66 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 79 | 0.04 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 193,699 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2024

2024 Alabama's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Terri Sewell (incumbent) | 186,723 | 63.68 |
| | Republican | Robin Litaker | 106,312 | 36.26 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 185 | 0.06 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 293,220 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |