MS Senate redistricting plan prompts NAACP request for court intervention, redrawn maps

Plaintiffs agree to pushed back special election schedule

• The NAACP and Mississippi residents are challenging the state’s proposed redistricting plan, arguing it doesn’t adequately address Black voter dilution.
• Plaintiffs argue the state’s plan fails to create sufficient Black majority districts and retains a white incumbent in a key district.
• The plaintiffs have agreed to a revised special election schedule proposed by the state, which allows more time for the court to review the plans.
• The federal court panel will decide on the redistricting plans, with a possible appeal to the Supreme Court.

A federal three-judge panel should reject proposals submitted by the State Board of Election Commissioners to redraw several Senate districts in the Desoto County area, Lawyers representing the NAACP and several Mississippians argued on April 29.

In the filing, attorneys said the state’s latest proposal to remedy Black voter dilution in the Northwest corner of the state falls short of the goal, which was mandated by a 2024 federal court order to redraw legislative districts and create several Black majority districts.

Among other arguments, plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote the panel should reject the election commissioners’ proposal on the grounds that it is the Legislature tasked with redrawing its lines, and the court already rejected the Legislature’s proposal.

“Any suggestion that the SBEC’s own assertions of ‘the State’s interests’ should receive deference or ‘flexibility’ as the court considers which plan to approve…is simply wrong,” plaintiffs’ attorneys argued.

In December 2022, the NAACP and several state voters filed a lawsuit claiming the Legislature’s 2022 redistricting diluted Black voting power, violating federal law. In 2024, the panel agreed and ordered the Legislature to propose a new map creating new Black majority districts.

The panel is comprised of U.S. District Court judges Daniel Jordan III and Sul Ozerden and U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Leslie Southwick.

Other elections related lawsuit: Why MS is appealing mail-in absentee ballot case to US Supreme Court. What to know

In the 2025 Legislative Session, lawmakers passed district changes for the House and Senate, resulting in several amended districts and the creation of two Black-majority districts with no incumbent.

Once the Legislature sent its new plan to the court, the NAACP challenged the redraw in the Northeast Mississippi and Desoto County areas but not the Hattiesburg-area district changes.

Attorneys representing both parties gave arguments for and against the Legislature’s plan in mid-April at the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse. Those arguments were based on whether the new districts in Northeast Mississippi and the Desoto County area realistically created an opportunity for Black voters to elect a candidate of their choice.

Plaintiffs’ challenges to state’s new redistricting proposal

The defendants last week submitted their new plan, which would, if approved by the panel, create a Black majority district in Senate District 2 and maintain a slight Black majority district in Senate District 11.

The new plan does not create any Senate districts without an incumbent or place any existing lawmakers into the same district.

Plaintiffs said in their filing the state’s new proposal for Senate District 11 does provide an opportunity to remedy Black voter dilution but not in Senate District 2. They also argued their plan for SD 11, the North Delta district, would be better.

“The evidence on balance shows the State Senate candidates preferred by Black voters are likely to be defeated in that district,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.

Also, by keeping a white incumbent in Senate District 2, David Parker, R-Olive Branch, the state’s new plan further reduces the chance of Black voters electing a candidate of their choice, they said.

The plaintiffs also argued the state’s new plan does not conform to key elements of the Legislature’s proposal such as including an open Black majority district in Desoto County.

ACLU, state arguments on redistricting: New Mississippi House, Senate districts not yet approved by federal court panel

Plaintiffs agree to new special election schedule proposed by state

In their filing, the plaintiffs agreed to a secondary proposal set forth by the election commissioners to push back the special election schedule but not change the date for voters to cast ballots.

This would give the panel a little more than two weeks from now to consider both the state’s and the NAACP’s proposals. If either party objects to the panel’s ruling, they could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

If approved by the panel, the new schedule would be:

• May 12 – Deadline to share detailed maps and address libraries with local electionofficials.
• June 2-9– Qualifying period.
• June 13 – Deadline for State Executive Committee to submit names of qualifiedcandidates.
• June 21 – Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) absentee voting begins for primary election.
• August 5 – Special Primary Election Day.
• September 2 – Special Primary Runoff Election Day.
• September 20 – UOCAVA absentee voting begins for general election.
• November 4 – Special General Election Day.

Grant McLaughlin covers the Legislature and state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.