Mississippi Legislative Districts to be Redrawn by 2025

A three-judge panel ruled that Mississippi must establish new majority-Black districts for its 174 Senate and House districts by 2025 to address the dilution of Black voting power, following a lawsuit citing violations of the Voting Rights Act in the redistricting done in 2022. The decision allows the state to redraw these districts during its 2025 session, postponing special elections to avoid a rushed process. Mississippi's population is approximately 59% white and 38% Black, with the previous district maps providing Black majorities in 29% of Senate districts and 34% of House districts. The State Board of Election Commissioners argued that the tight timeline made redrawing before the November 2024 election unfeasible, leading to the extended timeline for the redistricting process.