Mississippi pushes for more time to redraw Black-majority districts
Attorneys for Mississippi’s Board of Election Commissioners are pushing back against a timeline for Mississippi lawmakers to redraw the districts. The timeline includes Gov. Tate Reeves calling a special session of the Legislature. (Steve Helber/AP Photo file)
Earlier this month, a federal court ruled in favor of the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP, as well as several Mississippi voters, claiming certain state House of Representatives and Senate districts drawn in 2022 dilute the power of Black voters.
Specifically, the United States Court for the Southern District of Mississippi requires the creation of a Black-majority Senate district in areas around DeSoto County as well as in Hattiesburg. It also called for a new Black-majority House district in Chickasaw and Monroe counties.
“The harm is localized, but it is severe to the affected voters,” the court opinion states. “This is the exact kind of injury that warrants a remedy.”
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DeSoto County Mississippi redistricting Gov. Tate Reeves Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
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Rob Moore
Rob Moore covers North Mississippi for The Daily Memphian. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. in English from The University of Memphis.
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