Last week, the Senate Judiciary A Committee passed a comprehensive redistricting plan for our Circuit and Chancery Court Districts. While the plan only slightly changes the total number of trial court judges, it greatly reduces the number of Circuit Court districts where Black voters can elect a judge of their choice.
The Senate’s plan would significantly alter the judiciary in the Mississippi Delta and southwest portion of the state, even changing the composition of some circuit districts in a way that reduces Black voting strength. The plan was introduced, debated, and passed out of the committee in just 8 minutes.
Considering the present lack of diversity and the fact that Mississippi’s Black population has increased, we strongly oppose a redistricting plan that would reduce the number of opportunities Black voters have to elect Judges or District Attorneys of their choice. In fact, there is a strong case to be made that the Senate Plan violates the US Constitution and federal law.
About the Plan
Currently, two Circuit Court Districts, 4 and 11, cover much of the Mississippi Delta. In all, seven Circuit Court Judges are elected in those two districts. The Senate plan merges those two districts into one and reduces the number of judges from 7 to 4. Because of the circuit merger, the Delta region would also lose a district attorney position.
The Senate Plan also gerrymanders much of southwest Mississippi’s Black population by merging many of the counties now in Circuit Districts 6 and 22 into one District.
While Circuit District 22 is completely eliminated, Circuit District 6 would then include Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Jefferson, Pike, Walthall, and Wilkinson counties. There are currently a total of 3 Circuit Court Judges serving in those two districts. Under the Senate, there would be 2 judges. In addition to losing a Circuit Court Judge, the consolidation would also result in the loss of a District Attorney position in the region.
Senator Brice Wiggins, chairman of Judiciary A, has stated that caseload and population would greatly influence the senate’s redistricting plan. However, that rule is not applied equally.
Based on the committee’s own data, Circuit Court District 9, based largely in Warren County, has the lowest district population per judge in the state. Again, based on the Committee’s data, Circuit District 9 has the second lowest caseload per judge at 278. For reference, despite a slightly smaller overall population, the total cases per judge in Circuit District 22 is 853. However, the Senate Plan would eliminate District 22 while making no changes at all to District 9.
The senate's plan would also reduce the Black Voting Age Population (BVAP) in several Circuit Districts.
While there are currently no Black judges in Circuit District 16, the district has elected and reelected a Black district attorney – Scott Colom. Under the Senate Plan, the district would remain based in the Golden Triangle. However, it inserts the majority-white Webster County. That change would reduce District 16’s BVAP.
The Senate Plan also moves Pike County’s large Black population out of Circuit District 14 and packs it into the already majority-Black Circuit District 6. Overall, the changes to District 14 would reduce its BVAP from 42% to 37%. This would greatly reduce the ability of Black voters in that area to elect a judge or District Attorney of their choice.