MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — White Democrats opposed to new legislative districts designed by Republicans say they would turn the Legislature into a body of white Republicans and black Democrats.

The Legislature's reapportionment committee voted along party lines Thursday to recommend districts that House and Senate committees will consider Friday.

House Minority Leader Craig Ford and Senate Minority Leader Roger Bedford said the districts appear designed to get rid of several of the 18 white Democrats in the Legislature by making their districts more Republican.

The co-chairman of the reapportionment committee, Republican Rep. Jim McClendon, said white Democrats were not targeted. He said the federal Voting Rights Act required the committee to maintain at least the same number of legislative districts with a majority of African-American residents, and that affected how other districts were drawn