- The Legislature has been mandated to redraw its districts after a federal court ordered additional majority-minority legislative districts in Mississippi.
The Mississippi Senate took up its proposed legislative redistricting on Wednesday, which would impact 10 Senate Districts – 1, 2, 10, 11, 19, 34, 41, 42, 44 and 45.
As previously reported, a federal three-judge panel ordered the supermajority Republican Mississippi Legislature to draw and adopt new state legislative district maps during the 2025 session and subsequently hold special elections to fill the seats. That order came after the Mississippi NAACP filed a lawsuit challenging the 2022 legislative redistricting plan adopted by lawmakers. Those maps resulted in 15 of the 52 Senate seats and 42 of 122 House seats being majority-minority, or majority black voting age population districts.
State Senator Dean Kirby (R) presented the Senate plan which aims to address majority-minority redistricting in DeSoto and Forrest counties.
“All members in these areas have met with me and the staff and reviewed the district lines and all the data,” Kirby told the body.
Kirby said he also met with the Democratic Caucus, Black Caucus, external attorneys, and others, adding that this “is not a partisan deal.”
“We have a court order and we’re going to comply,” Kirby said.
Kirby noted that the proposed redistricting plan complies with all state and federal laws, including the Voting Rights Acct.
The current Senate District 11 would become District 1 in DeSoto County and is a new majority-minority district with no current incumbent Senator in the district. This change, which pairs Senators Reginald Jackson (D-SD 11) and Michael McClendon (R-SD 1), and the changes created within four neighboring Senate Districts would require five special elections in the Northern Mississippi area.
Senator McClendon expressed his displeasure with the change in his area, questioning the process by which the districts were drawn. He claimed the process was not transparent and voiced frustration with not knowing the consultants tasked with vetting the new map. McClendon offered an amendment to change the North Mississippi districts, his main contention being that Hernando should not be split into two senate districts, but it overwhelmingly failed on a voice vote.
In the Pine Belt area, Senate District 45 would be the newly created majority-minority district, again with no current incumbent Senator in the district. As was the case in the DeSoto County, this Forrest County change would also require five special elections as it impacts four neighboring districts. The change pairs Senators Chris Johnson (R-SD 45) and John Polk (R-SD 44).
“We’ve done everything we can do not to surprise anyone,” Kirby said, noting the tremendous amount of discussion between senators, consultants and attorneys.
State Senator Polk addressed the body prior to passage, tearfully telling his fellow senators that he would not seek the office in the special election given his recent health issues.
Despite those conversations, Senate Democratic Leader Derrick Simmons offered an amendment that would keep the changes proposed in the Forrest County area but increase the black voting age population (BVAP) in a newly created DeSoto County district without pairing the two affected senators. It would move McClendon into that new district and leave Jackson in his own. His amendment also overwhelmingly failed after Kirby voiced opposition.
The chamber ultimately passed Joint Resolution 202 by a vote of 33 to 16.
State Senator Angela Hill (R) stated that she voted against the resolution because she believes the state did not do a good job in defending the Senate’s position on the current map.
The special elections in the affected areas would occur later this year, with August party primaries and a General Election in November. The qualifying period would be May 19 through May 30th. These are the same dates as approved in the House legislative redistricting plan.
The House has already passed their legislative redistricting plan as required by the court. It impacts five House Districts – 16, 22, 36, 39 and 41.
READ MORE: House passes legislative redistricting plan that makes HD 22 a majority-minority district
You can review the nearly redrawn Senate District map below.
Frank Corder
