Mississippi’s Joint Redistricting and Reapportionment Committee convened to begin the process of potentially redrawing the state’s legislative, congressional and judicial districts in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision. The committee, composed of House and Senate members, met at the state Capitol and voted to retain Butler Snow attorneys as general counsel. Republican Sen. Dean Kirby of Pearl was elected chairman, while Republican Rep. Noah Sanford of Collins was named vice chair.
The committee announced plans to solicit public input through eight hearings scheduled across different regions of Mississippi over the next two months. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, when asked about the committee’s priorities, stated he did not want to presuppose outcomes and emphasized that the committee would gather perspectives from citizens throughout the state.
Voting rights advocates expressed skepticism about the process. Amir Badat, Southern states director for Fair Fight Action, characterized the redistricting effort as “putting lipstick on a pig” and alleged it represents “an effort to diminish Black political power.” He argued that public hearings would not alter the fundamental intent of the process.
Democratic officials organized a competing voting rights event, where U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi encouraged citizens to register voters and participate in upcoming elections. Thompson, Mississippi’s sole Black Democratic representative in Congress, stated his campaign would monitor the hearings and called for transparency in the legislative process. Some Republican officials, including state Auditor Shad White, have previously advocated for restructuring Thompson’s district, which encompasses portions of the Jackson metropolitan area and the majority-Black Delta region.
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