The maps used in Mississippi’s judicial elections are being challenged in court for not adequately representing the state’s demographics. Black Mississippians make up nearly 40% of the population, yet only four Black judges, all men, have served on the state supreme court within the last 100 years. Jarvis Dortch, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, says those four members were appointed by former governors.
Dortch says “We’re showing in our complaint that it is very difficult for Black voters in Mississippi to have a choice in who represents them in the State Supreme Court, and that can be changed very easily by drawing new district lines. And these districts have not been addressed or changed since 1987.”
Legal experts involved with the case say they now have adequate data to show how Mississippi’s judicial districts could be redrawn to foster more diverse electorates.
Waikinya Clanton is State Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center. She says lawmakers could have addressed this issue any time while they did congressional and legislative redistricting, but the maps haven’t changed in decades.
Clinton says “We’ve given opportunity. This is not a priority for everyone, but it is a priority for people who live in persistent poverty. And so when you don’t have someone who uniquely understands and can be compassionate and put themselves in the place of those who are less fortunate, then we have the circumstances that we’re seeing today.”
Experts say changes to judicial districting maps could also alter elections for Mississippi’s Public Service Commission.
