FILE - Mississippi state Sens. Rod Hickman, D-Macon, left, Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, second from left, Albert Butler, D-Port Gibson, and David Jordan, D-Greenwood, review an alternate Senate redistricting map at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., March 29, 2022. Three federal judges ruled Tuesday, July 2, 2024, that Mississippi legislators must redraw some state House and Senate districts because the districts adopted in 2022 dilute Black voting power. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
- The order from the three-judge panel officially sets up special legislative elections later this year.
The federal three-judge panel reviewing remedial legislative redistricting plans in Mississippi has approved a revised plan submitted by the State Board of Election Commissioners, officially setting up special elections later this year under a new schedule.
U.S. Fifth Circuit Judge Leslie Southwick and U.S. District Judges Sul Ozerden and Daniel Jordan said Wednesday in their order that the plan proposed by the State Board of Election Commissioners creates less of a disruption to state government and meets legislative and federal requirements.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R), Governor Tate Reeves (R), and Secretary of State Michael Watson (R) make up the Board of Election Commissioners.
How we got here
Lawmakers adopted their version of the revised district boundaries this session in an attempt to comply with the court ordered redistricting, namely in DeSoto and Chickasaw counties as well as in the Hattiesburg-Forrest County area, after the Mississippi NAACP filed a lawsuit challenging the 2022 legislative redistricting plan claiming black voting strength had been diluted.
The result was the need to hold 15 special elections in the affected areas encompassing both House and Senate seats.
READ MORE: Legislative redistricting plans adopted in House, Senate setting up 15 special elections later this year
Following the passage of the Legislature’s attempt at redistricting, the NAACP told the court that the maps did not do enough to satisfy their complaint and asked the federal panel to consider changes in the Chickasaw and DeSoto counties.
The plaintiffs did not object to the changes made in the Hattiesburg-Forrest County area.
Three-judge panel then gave the State Board of Election Commissioners seven days to propose a new map for the northwest Mississippi area while also allowing the NAACP to submit their own version.
The ruling Wednesday siding with the State Board of Election Commissioners now sets up special elections in the affected areas.
The NAACP has not said whether they intend to accept the court’s order or will consider an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Changes in the DeSoto County Senate Districts
Under the court approved plan, Senate District 2 will be a new majority-minority district while Senate District 11 maintains that distinction. Boundaries for two other DeSoto County senate districts are also impacted, those being Senate Districts 1 and 19.
State Senator Michael McLendon (R), who represents District 1, actively opposed the Legislature’s plan, with his primary contention being that the City of Hernando should not be split into two Senate districts. The legislative plan originally paired him with Senator Reginald Jackson (D) from District 11.
On Wednesday, McLendon celebrated the court’s approval of the State Board of Election Commissioners’ plan, writing on Facebook that the decision was a victory for DeSoto County’s conservative values and safeguarding the integrity of our communities.
“After a rigorous legal battle, the court upheld a commonsense plan that respects local priorities, keeps Hernando whole in Senate District 1 (SD 1), and ensures fair representation for all residents of Hernando and southern DeSoto County,” McLendon said.
The DeSoto County Board of Supervisors had also voiced opposition to the Legislature’s plan.
New legislative district maps
The Mississippi Standing Joint Legislative Committee on Reapportionment and Redistricting has updated its website to show the newly adopted and court approved legislative district maps.
Here is the Senate map:
Here is the House map:
Special election schedule
Since the initial proposed qualifying period has passed, the court ordered the following special election schedule:
- May 12 – Deadline to share detailed maps and address libraries with local election officials
- June 2 – Qualifying begins
- June 9 – Qualifying deadline
- June 13 – Deadline for State Executive Committee to submit names of qualified candidates
- June 21 – Absentee voting begins for Primary Election
- August 5 – Special Primary Election Day
- September 2 – Special Primary Runoff Election Day
- September 20 – Absentee voting begins for General Election
- November 4 – Special General Election Day
Read the order below
Frank Corder
