The new Congressional boundaries are in effect for the 2022 midterms.
On Monday, Governor Tate Reeves signed HB 384, the ‘Magnolia 1’ Congressional Redistricting plan, as passed by the Mississippi Legislature.
The redistricting plan was brought forward by the Joint Legislative Redistricting Committee following public meetings held across the state and hearings with the Committee in the summer and fall of 2021.
Before sending it to the Governor’s desk, the House passed the new redistricting plan by a vote of 75-44 and the Senate approved it on a 33-18 vote.
Lawmakers have stated multiple times that passing this plan was a priority early in the session, both because qualifying for the 2022 midterms is underway and so the state is not relying on the Courts to redraw the districts as had been done previously.
The need to alter the current congressional districts was largely due to District 2 losing some 65,000 persons since the last Census. That district experienced a decrease of over 9.08%, while the other three districts increased. District 1 had a 2.21% increase, District 3 had a 1.24% increase, and District 4 had a 4.82% increase.
To accommodate District 2’s loss and to ensure the Black Voting Age Population (BVAP) was taken into account, changes were made in Hinds County. In addition, Adams, Wilkinson, Franklin, and Amite Counties were shifted to District 2, leveling that district with Districts 1,3, and 4.
District 4 loses Marion County and four precincts in Jones County, as well as no longer takes in portions of Clarke County. Those areas are now in District 3.
You can read the full bill here.
Frank Corder
