Mississippi Democratic Party plans protests after Supreme Court redistricting ruling
The Mississippi Democratic Party is preparing to hold protests and boycotts in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling that could impact legislative districts and voting rights. Party chairman State Rep. Cheikh Taylor said the protests will be nonviolent and aim to oppose the court’s decision, which he says may lead to the loss of 17 seats in the Mississippi House and seven in the state Senate.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated an order from a three-judge panel that had mandated redistricting in 2025 under the Voting Rights Act. The decision came after the court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which limited the use of race as a factor in district drawing. The case previously led to special elections last year that resulted in Republicans losing their supermajority in the state Senate.
During a press conference in Jackson, Taylor called the ruling “a defining moment” in Mississippi politics and criticized what he described as efforts to undermine Black voting power. The protests are set to begin Wednesday, with Congressman Bennie Thompson (D) scheduled to speak at the state Capitol about the ruling’s impact on Black voters.
Taylor indicated that the state legislature may revisit congressional redistricting before next year’s session, with Governor Tate Reeves suggesting that changes are imminent. The party’s initial response will involve litigation, Taylor said, before considering longer-term strategies.
Asked about potential gerrymandering in Jackson, Taylor expressed hope the city would remain intact in redistricting efforts, contrasting it with Memphis, where Tennessee lawmakers divided the city into separate districts. Thompson has faced gerrymandering challenges multiple times during his congressional tenure.
The announcement coincides with the NAACP’s call for a boycott of college athletic programs at public universities in states like Mississippi, arguing that recent actions restrict Black voting rights. The protests and civil actions underscore ongoing tensions over voting laws and district boundaries in the state.
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