On Friday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision to uphold the trial court’s judgment that the redistricting plan put in place by the Mississippi Legislature in 2012 for Senate District 22 diluted the voting strength of the African-American voters. This was a violation of the Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Before the decision was made the Legislature redrew the district lines in the 2019 Session to comply with the trial courts ruling. The redrawn district lines would be the operative district for the upcoming primary and general elections. The new law would change the lines of District 22 and 13.
“Fairness in elections is vital to our democracy,” said attorney Rob McDuff of Jackson, who tried the case on behalf of the Mississippi Center for Justice. “Enforcement of the Voting Rights Act promotes fairness, and this decision confirms that all voters must be treated equally when it comes to redistricting.”
Senate District 22 stretches from Bolivar county in North Madison county in the south. It is made up of Bolivar, Washington, Humphreys, Yazoo and Madison Counties and all of the Sharkey County.
Thomas v Bryant 5th Circuit Opinion by yallpolitics on Scribd
