Mississippi voters across 10 Senate districts will have another opportunity to choose their representatives in November’s special elections, following pending court approval, as per the Senate’s resolution approved on Wednesday.
The decision to pass the plan came with a 33-16 vote in the chamber, with two Democrats aligning with the GOP majority in support, while three Republicans voted alongside the Democratic minority against it.
Although the elections for the Legislature were recently concluded in 2023, these 10 races will occur again due to a federal panel last year identifying insufficient Black-majority districts in the new district maps.
The state’s redistricting will introduce a new majority-Black district in the areas of DeSoto County and Forrest County as ordered by the panel.
Republican Dean Kirby, Chair of the Senate Rules Committee from Pearl, assured senators that the newly crafted map complies with federal law, facilitating Black voters in the affected regions to elect candidates of their preference.
“It’s not a partisan ordeal,” Kirby stated. “We have a court order, and we’re going to comply.”
The redrawn map introduces a majority-Black district in both DeSoto County and Forrest County, with neither having an incumbent senator presently.
Consequently, the plan places two pairs of incumbents in direct competition within newly delineated districts.
Under the new boundaries, Sen. Michael McLendon, a white Republican from Hernando, will compete against Sen. Reginald Jackson, a Black Democrat from Marks, with District 1 now having a Black voting-age demographic of 52.4%.
McLendon criticized the proposal, denouncing the lack of transparency and fairness, particularly to his home city of Hernando.
“I don’t want to be pushed out of here,” McLendon asserted.
Further south, Senators Chris Johnson and John Polk, both Republicans from Hattiesburg, will vie for the District 44 seat. Polk announced he would not contend in the special election, leaving Johnson the sole incumbent candidate.
The districts affected by the redrawing include:
1. Senate District 1: Sen. Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, and Sen. Reginald Jackson, D-Marks
2. Senate District 2: David Parker, R-Olive Branch
3. Senate District 10: Neil Whaley, R-Potts Camp
4. Senate District 11: New Senate area in DeSoto County
5. Senate District 19: Sen. Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven
6. Senate District 34: Sen. Juan Barnett, D-Heidelburg
7. Senate District 41: Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall
8. Senate District 42: Sen. Robin Robinson, R-Laurel
9. Senate District 44: Sen. John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, and Sen. Chris Johnson, R-Hattiesburg
10. Senate District 45: New district in Lamar County
Alternate maps proposed by McLendon and Democratic Sen. Derrick Simmons from Greenville were rejected. Simmons, the Democratic leader in the Senate, opposed pairing incumbent senators within the same district.
Prior in the session, the House passed a plan to redraw five districts in northern Mississippi, making the House district in Chickasaw County majority-Black.
Sen. Kirby has mentioned the existing “gentleman’s agreement” between the House and Senate to pass each other’s plans, adhering to long-standing practices.
The new election qualifying period spans from May 19 to May 30, with primary elections set for August 5, potential runoffs on September 2, and a general election on November 4.
Although Republican Gov. Tate Reeves lacks direct authority over legislative redistricting, the Legislature’s plan will proceed to federal courts for final approval once passed.
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