The Mississippi Senate approved a resolution Wednesday that would redraw 10 districts, requiring special elections in November to determine representation in the new voting districts. The resolution follows a 2024 order from a panel of federal judges that required Mississippi to reorganize some districts because the power of Black voters was being diluted.
The judges issued their order in response to a lawsuit filed in 2022 by the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP and a group of Black residents. The suit alleged that the 2022 redistricting by the legislature diminished the voting power of the state’s Black population, with 29% of Senate districts and 34% of House districts being majority Black.
Many leaders celebrated the order, hoping that the number of majority-Black districts would more closely reflect the state’s 38% Black population.
“This is an important victory for Black Mississippians to have an equal and fair opportunity to participate in the political process without their votes being diluted,” Jennifer Nwachukwu, a plaintiff attorney in the lawsuit, said after the panel’s order. “This ruling affirms that the voices of Black Mississippians matter and should be reflected in the state Legislature.”
The redrawn district map passed by the Senate reflects the panel’s ruling, reorganizing 10 districts and creating a majority-Black district in DeSoto County and Forrest County. A 33-16 vote passed Senate Joint Resolution 202, which will now go to the federal judge panel for final approval after clearing the House. The measure will not have to go to Gov. Tate Reeves’ desk as legislative districting decisions are not within his purview.
According to Senate Rules Committee Chair Dean Kirby, R-Pearl, the resolution was constructed to comply with the court order, the Voting Rights Act, and a host of other federal and state laws. Kirby said there was no partisan aspect to the resolution.
“We have a court order, and we’re going to comply,” Kirby said on the chamber floor.
In the redrawing of District 11 (DeSoto County), neighboring Districts 1, 2, 10, and 19 were altered and will require special elections in November. The same is true of Districts 34, 41, 42, and 44, which will hold special elections after being changed due to the redrawing of District 45 (Forrest County).
Districts 11 and 45, now both majority-Black districts, will be considered new districts with no incumbent senator.
In District 1, incumbent Sens. Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, and Reginald Jackson, D-Marks, are expected to run against each other in the November special election for the new district.
McLendon was one of several lawmakers who pushed against the resolution, citing a lack of transparency and questioning the details of the new district lines. But amendments from McLendon and Senate Minority Leader Derrick Simmons, D-Greenville, were overwhelmingly quashed.
As of now, a special election for District 44 will be uncontested for Sen. Chris Johnson, R-Hattiesburg. Sen. John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, would have been included in the new district but announced to the chamber Wednesday that he would not seek reelection due to health issues.
Earlier in the session, the House passed a similar resolution that creates a new majority-Black voting district in northeast Mississippi, House District 22. House Districts 16, 36, 39, and 41 were also altered and will require special elections in November.
According to Kirby, both resolutions are expected to be passed by the opposite chamber and sent to the federal judge panel for final approval.
