House passes Senate district map as legal action looms
March 5, 2025 – The Mississippi House of Representatives Tuesday passed the Senate-approved redistricting map that now can face legal action as it awaits final approval from a three-judge panel before being enacted.
The vote on the Senate-approved map setting new districts that will lead to special elections in DeSoto County this year came on a 67-51 vote. All 10 DeSoto County state representatives voted against Joint Resolution 202.
The House vote came one day after DeSoto County officials announced it would consider legal action to stop the redistricting maps from being enacted. In a news release Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors stated:
In light of the potential adverse impact upon our county and its citizens created by the Mississippi Senate’s proposed redistricting plan, the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors has retained outside legal counsel to explore all legal remedies available to contest the Senate plan on behalf of the voters of DeSoto County.
The board’s decision to pursue legal action follows last Wednesday’s vote to approve Joint Resolution 202 on a 33-16 vote, the chamber’s decision was done to satisfy a three-judge panel that last year ruled the Legislature did not include enough African-American representation in the redistricting work it did. The panel required the maps be redrawn with a minority-majority district in DeSoto County and also in Forrest County, the Hattiesburg area.
The Senate-approved result approved affects all three DeSoto County state senators, but it affects state Sen. Michael McLendon (R-Hernando) more because he is now moved into a new district where he would have to challenge Sen. Reginald Jackson (D-Marks). The new District 1 would have a 52.4 percent African-American voting age population.
State Sen. Dr. David Parker remains in Senate District 2 and Sen. Kevin Blackwell is in Senate District 19 and both would face no incumbent opposition.
New Senate Districts 11 and 45 have also been drawn under the Senate-passed plan.
McLendon tried to offer an amendment map he had drawn that he said would have met the judicial requirements and not divide Hernando, but it was voted down. The plan approved by the Senate divides the city and moves much of Hernando into a district with parts of Tate, Tunica, Quitman, and Coahoma counties.
The plan has also received expressed opposition from the Hernando Board of Aldermen in a resolution it passed ahead of the Senate vote.
Once final legislative and judicial approval is given, special elections in the newly-drawn districts would be held on Aug. 5, primary runoff votes in early September and the general election on Nov. 4. Qualifying candidates would take place during two weeks in May.
The part of the new map that affects DeSoto County is found here. The new District 1 is in yellow.
The complete discussion on the resolution is found on the Mississippi Legislature YouTube Channel. The discussion begins at the 4:17:00 mark on the video.
