Three federal judges in Mississippi have decided that the state can delay the redrawing of certain legislative districts until next year to address issues where Black voting strength is weakened. This decision revises the judges’ previous timeline following a ruling on July 2 that highlighted problems in three areas of the state, necessitating the reconfiguration of multiple House and Senate districts. Initially, the judges aimed for the new districts to be established before the regular legislative session in January.
The recent ruling means there will be no special legislative elections in Mississippi this November, coinciding with the presidential election. Consequently, current legislators are expected to serve in districts where the judges identified diminished influence of Black voters for half of their four-year term. The judges justified the delay until 2025 to avoid a rushed schedule for the drawing and approval of new districts, conducting primaries, and allowing candidates to campaign effectively.
The state Board of Election Commissioners’ attorneys argued against redrawing districts before November due to the tight timeline for ballot preparation. Conversely, the NAACP’s attorneys, who brought the lawsuit against the state, stressed the importance of swift redistricting to prevent disruptions for election officials and confusion among voters if special elections were held next year.
In Mississippi, legislative and congressional districts are adjusted post-census to reflect population shifts every decade. Currently, the state’s population is approximately 59% white and 38% Black. The judges’ order mandates the creation of majority-Black Senate districts in DeSoto County and Hattiesburg, as well as a new majority-Black House district in Chickasaw and Monroe counties, without adding additional districts. Instead, lawmakers are required to modify existing boundaries, potentially affecting a significant number of districts.
Mississippi’s voting history indicates that districts with higher white populations tend to favor Republicans, while those with more Black residents tend to lean towards Democrats. Legal challenges regarding the composition of legislative districts drawn following the 2020 census have arisen in various states.
