Mississippi governor considers special session to redraw legislative districts after Supreme Court ruling
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is considering calling a special session later this year to redraw legislative districts after the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a federal court order that mandated mid-term redistricting, Reeves said Thursday at the Neshoba County Fair.
Reeves stated that the current legislative district maps are no longer valid following the Callais v. Louisiana decision, which found race cannot be the primary factor in district drawing. The governor emphasized that the maps used in last year’s special elections, which led to Republicans losing their supermajority in the state Senate, were drawn under unconstitutional principles.
The NAACP challenged the previous maps on behalf of 14 residents, claiming that black voting strength was being diluted in certain areas. A federal three-judge panel ordered redistricting in North Mississippi and other districts to increase black voting populations. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling reversed that order, altering the standards for racial considerations in districting.
Reeves indicated that he has been seriously considering calling a special session since the decision was announced. He did not specify a date but said it is likely to occur this fall, possibly after the November elections. Lawmakers are already working on redistricting in committee, and both the Senate and House leaders have acknowledged the need to update district maps.
The governor also mentioned other issues that could be addressed in the session, including reauthorizing the state’s youth courts and possibly expanding education freedom legislation. Reeves has previously said he expects lawmakers to redistrict congressional seats with an eye toward ending what he called the “tenure of Congressman Bennie Thompson’s reign of terror” in the 2nd Congressional District.
While Mississippi held its congressional primaries before the Supreme Court decision, Reeves has delayed calling a congressional redistricting session, citing ongoing discussions with the White House on potential plans. The next legislative session is expected to include redistricting for congressional and state Supreme Court districts in 2027.
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